Khandapara: Ancient temple shrines are visited by tourists and devotees round the year and are good revenue earners for the state exchequer.
However, the state government has done little for the development of these shrines despite a growing demand among the devotees for the development of these temples.
The famous Nilamadhaba temple at Kantilo in Nayagarh district is a case in this point where installation of a ropeway is stuck in government red-tape despite completion of a survey over last six years.
As a result, elderly and disabled people visiting the temple find it difficult to climb atop the hill for darshan of the deity in the absence of a ropeway.
It has been witnessed that many a times elderly and disabled people return from the foothill without visiting the deity as they find it hard to climb the staircase to reach the hilltop.
Locals have alleged that lack of political will is responsible for the delay in execution of the ropeway project.
The Nilamadhaba temple is a very old temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu of Hindu pantheon and the deity occupies a central position in the Jagannath cult.
The temple is situated atop twin hills of Brahmadri and Padmadri on the banks of the Mahanadi at Kantilo in Nayagarh district.
It is visited by hundreds of devotees every day. The temple is surrounded by four doors namely Lion’s Gate (Singhadwar) on the east, Tiger Gate (Byaghradwar) on the west, Elephant Gate (Hatidwar) on the north and Horse Gate (Ghodadwar) on the south.
The road to each gate has a flight of 54 steps. The deity is revered by devotees who throng it round the year to witness the permanent flow of holy water from the feet of Lord Nilamadhaba.
Lord Siddheswar present in the shrine is another highlight of the place. Keeping the difficulties of devotees in mind, it was decided to construct a ropeway.
However, the proposal is buried under red-tape.
Former Khandapara MLA Anubhav Patnaik had stressed construction of a ropeway to the shrine in 2014 during a visit to the shrine with Janakiballav Mohapatra, engineerin-chief of the state water resources department, November 13, 2014.
Later, concerned officials conducted a survey to implement the project in 2016. Since then, six years have passed but the project is yet to be implemented.
This has sparked resentment among the visiting tourists and devotees.
Reports said Patnaik realized the difficulty in climbing 54 steps to the temple and stressed installation of a ropeway as has been done in various shrines of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Later, on the advice of the chief engineer, Lingaraj Associate, a private firm, conducted a survey for the project, March 1, 2016.
The firm was advised to install a ropeway of 175 mtrs in length from the foothill on the west to the hilltop.
A preliminary estimate pegged the expenditure at Rs 3 to Rs 4 crore for installation of the ropeway. The survey report was submitted to the District Collector.
Later, a detailed project report and a design were submitted to the state government.
However, the ropeway project never became a reality.
Locals have demanded that Khandapara MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and the state tourism department should take note of the issue and press for installation of a ropeway to the shrine before the state government.
PNN
