Odisha govt seeks ASI help as cracks appear in boundary wall of Puri Jagannath temple

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has sought help from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to repair multiple cracks that have developed in the Meghanada Pacheri, the boundary wall of Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Temple servitors have raised concerns that wastewater from Anandabazar within the temple complex is seeping through these cracks. They also claimed that patches of algae have appeared on certain sections of the wall.

Worried about the safety of the 12th-century shrine, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has urged the ASI to undertake necessary conservation work on the wall.

"We are concerned about the safety of the Meghanada Pacheri. ASI officials and our technical team have already inspected the boundary wall, and we hope that ASI will soon carry out the required repairs," SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said on Sunday. The temple's administration comes under the state's law department.

Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan reiterated the urgency of the situation and said repairs would commence immediately to prevent any further issues.

He hinted at the impact of previous construction and demolition activities around the temple complex conducted by the former BJD government, noting, "Due to some mistakes in the past, such issues have cropped up."