Puri: The state government will take a call on reopening Srimandir for devotees after the third week of December, the shrine’s chief administrator, Krishan Kumar, said after the temple managing committee meeting here, Tuesday.
According to Kumar, special arrangements need to be in place for reopening the 12th-century shrine for devotees.
“Srimandir is incomparable with other temples. Numerous devotees were desperately waiting to catch a glimpse of the Supreme solace. As the shrine has remained out of the bounds for devotees for around eight months now owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to go for special arrangements to reopen the shrine for devotees,” Kumar told the media.
The senior IAS officer said that a dedicated committee, comprising Kumar himself, Puri Collector, and superintendent of police, has been constituted to look into the preparations for facilitating devotees’ darshan.
“The committee will decide on the modalities of darshan. Suggestions in this regard from the Chhattisha Niyog will also be taken. The process will take around a month and we’ll be ready by the third week of December. Then, we’ll inform the state government about our readiness. Keeping in mind devotees’ health and safety, the state government will thereafter take a call on reopening the 12th-century shrine for devotees,” Kumar said.
Going by Kumar’s statement, numerous Jagannath lovers can expect to catch a glimpse of the Lord either in December last week or in New Year, said a devotee from Bhubaneswar.
