Puri: If things go as per the plan, the Tourism department would throw open an interpretation centre at Srijagannath Ballav mutt here to provide detailed information about the Srimandir and the Holy City by January 2020.
The state government had constructed a building for the centre at Srijagannath Ballav mutt a few years ago. However, the interior work and other arrangements for the centre could not be taken up due to some unspecified issues, sources said.
It is learnt that the state government was initially trying to implement the project under public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. However, no private party came forward for the venture.
Subsequently, the Tourism department had decided to execute the plan and convened a high-level meeting in Bhubaneswar September 3, last year to prepare a blueprint for the project.
Soon after the meeting, the Tourism department had allocated Rs 5 crore for the purpose and engaged a Delhi-based firm to carry out the construction work.
“Officials of the Delhi-based firm have visited the building at the mutt recently. The firm would soon start interior and other works for the interpretation centre,” said a source in the Tourism department.
According to sources, the centre would display information on various beshas (attires) of the presiding deities of Srimandir. Moreover, devotees would have the opportunity to know about the history of Srimandir and its rituals, festivals and traditions from the centre.
“The interpretation centre would display details of Rath Yatra and Sahi Jata of the Holy City and other information on Jagannath culture. A miniature of Srimandir would also be displayed at the centre,” said an official of the Tourism department.
According to the official, the Tourism department has asked the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to convene a meeting to review the project.
SJTA sources said the temple administration would convene a meeting on the interpretation centre February 5. The Tourism department director, District Collector, Works department executive engineer and officials of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) are scheduled to participate in the meeting, they added.
PNN
