Odisha CM Majhi gives details on progress of Lingaraj Temple redevelopment
Bhubaneswar, February 16
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, accompanied by his wife, offered prayers at the historic Lingaraj Temple on the occasion of Mahashivratri before announcing significant progress on the temple's redevelopment project.
The CM confirmed that the Phase One tender process is complete and work is imminent, with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a second phase also in preparation.
Speaking to the media, he said, "Today is the sacred occasion of Maha Shivratri. On this occasion, I extend my greetings and best wishes to all devotees. The Ekamra Kshetra of Lord Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar is a renowned Shaivite centre of India. For the peripheral development and beautification of Lord Lingaraj's Ekamra Kshetra, our government, since coming to power, has allotted 180 crore rupees in the first phase for the Lingaraj project. The tender process has already been completed, and work is about to begin."
"In total, since our government came to power, we have made financial provisions of 330 crore rupees. This is to ensure that devotees visiting Lord Lingaraj can have a smooth darshan (worship), perform their rituals well, and receive his blessings. Our government is fully committed to this complete development," Minister added.
He also said that in the coming days, this spiritual centre and Bhubaneswar, which is becoming an IT hub, will see significant progress.
"Work is progressing in the IT sector and in semiconductors, as part of a large economic region in India. As approved by the Central Cabinet, a vision for the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip economic region has been established in the budget. Accordingly, a very large Ring Road, the Capital Region Ring Road, is being built, for which we have received approval of more than 8,000 crore rupees from the Cabinet. With the blessings of Lord Lingaraj and the Ekamra Kshetra, this work is being carried out," said Mohan Charan Manjhi.
He also said that our government will continue to advance these projects, making Bhubaneswar a major economic hub in Odisha.
"We have taken a pledge to make Odisha prosperous, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India), and Odisha will serve as the growth engine for this," Minister stated.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see progress. But I hope the focus remains on preserving the ancient architecture and sanctity of the temple. Sometimes in the name of "beautification", the original character is lost. The DPR must be made public for transparency.
Combining spiritual development with economic growth is a smart vision. The Ring Road and IT hub plans will create jobs. Hope the temple project's funds are used efficiently and there are no cost overruns.
As someone who visited last year, the temple complex is magnificent but the surrounding area definitely needs better facilities for pilgrims. Glad to hear about the 330 crore provision. Hope it includes clean toilets, drinking water, and better crowd management.
The CM announcing this on Mahashivratri is perfect timing. It shows commitment. Odisha has immense potential as a growth engine. Development of heritage sites along with infrastructure is the way forward for Viksit Bharat.
While the temple work is welcome, I hope equal priority and funds are given to improving basic amenities in the villages of Odisha. Development should be balanced and inclusive for all citizens.
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