A joint team of Bhubaneswar development authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) razed a temple located in the middle of Janpath near Master Canteen Square as part of the smart city programme.
Nearly two-decade-old Tarini temple was causing huge traffic snarls in the area. The city authorities decided to raze it in a bid to add more space and beautify the area as part of a redevelopment plan.
BSCL officials said the redevelopment of Master Canteen Square was planned to carve out space for roads and track for cyclists and pedestrians. But the temple was creating a hurdle, officials said. Tarini Temple at Master Canteen Square was the only shrine that was left to be demolished. It was illegally constructed on government land. We had given the temple priests notice to vacate the place,” BSCL general manager Kamaljit Das said.
Das said the temple authorities had asked for alternate land to construct a new temple. “We have given them land near the Homeopathy College to build a new temple. The demolition exercise has been done following due legal process.
By Abhishek Purohit
