Cuttack, Nov 7: The Orissa High Court on Monday expressed displeasure over the inordinate delay in completion of Puri Jagannath Temple Natamandap repair work.
The High Court had directed the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2017 to complete repair work of Natamandap in four months. However, the restoration work is yet to be completed after five years.
“It is a matter of regret that in spite of the directions given by this court in the year 2017, till date the repair work of ‘Natamandap’ of the famous Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri has not yet been completed and some plea or other the matter has been adjourned from time to time,” the division Bench of Acting Chief Justice BR Sarangi and Justice MS Raman said.
The HC also directed the ASI to clarify why the repair work of the Natamandap has not been completed during the next hearing on Wednesday.
The division bench directed this hearing the PIL filed by Abhisek Das in 2016
The ASI on Monday informed the Orissa High Court that work on strengthening the cracked beam of Natamandap of the Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri will be undertaken after the shrine administration gives clearance to the structural design of steel frame and details of the selected intervention are submitted by IIT, Madras. However, the division bench did not accept its clarification and sought a detailed report in next hearing.
