Rayagada: One of the famous shrines of South Odisha, the Maa Majhighariani temple in Rayagada, is soon going to get a facelift.
The district administration has initiated discussions with the railways to acquire land connected to the temple premises to develop shrines that attract devotees from across the state.
The temple was earlier developed on 6.03 acres of railway land. The railway has 26.16 acres near the temple which needs to be acquired to start the process. An additional 18.85 acres is lying vacant close to the temple.
The temple’s management and the district administration are trying to acquire land to sort out the problem of accommodation for thousands of devotees who come to the temple.
The district administration led by Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar has held meetings with the railway authorities. Sources said the railway authorities have promised to cooperate to beautify and develop the temple.
The district administration has identified 49.66 acres of revenue land near the railway tracks from Jamadeipentha to Kuneru and the Rayagada-Koraput line and intimated higher officials of the East Coast Railways.
The temple management had earlier sent several proposals to the Endowment Commissioner to carry out the development works around the temple, but it proved futile as the temple did not have enough land for the purpose.
The Collector said a meeting has been scheduled August 3 in Rayagada which will be attended by high officials of the East Cost Railways, representatives of the Endowment Commissioner of Odisha, the temple management and the district administration.
The chairman of the Majhighariani Temple Trust, Raising Bidika, said the temple needs to be developed to meet the needs of the devotees. The temple is the third richest in Odisha with around Rs 50 crore deposited in local banks.
PNN
