Dikhyaa Mohanty 
One of India’s holiest pilgrimage sites and the home of Lord Jagannath, Puri, is about to undergo a significant metamorphosis while maintaining its spiritual and cultural character. Today, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan jointly chaired a high-level review meeting to map out the next steps for transforming Puri into a world-class historic city.
Deputy CM Pravati Parida said that Puri and the Shree Jagannath Temple are revered worldwide and visiting this holy city is a cherished dream for countless devotees. She stressed the need for coordinated efforts from both the government and the public to make Puri vibrant, beautiful, and spiritually enriching. She urged officials to expedite ongoing projects to uplift the city and district.
Minister Prithviraj Harichandan highlighted that while challenges are inevitable in development work, they can be overcome with determination and proper planning. He directed officials to ensure timely completion of projects through meticulous planning and execution.
The review focused on the progress of several flagship initiatives, including:
- Beautification of the Shree Gundicha Temple
- Upgradation of Pramod Udyan.
- Land acquisition for Shree Mandir Adarsh Gurukulam.
- The Sevayat Housing Project.
- Construction of a world-class Raghunandan Library and Shree Jagannath Research Centre.
- Establishment of a Bhakta Niwas at the old police station site.
- Conservation and development of Atharnala and other heritage structures.
Moreover, officials examined plans to incorporate Odisha’s traditional architectural style into new infrastructure projects, eliminate dangerous buildings near Shri Mandir, install contemporary equipment in city infrastructure, closely follow National Heritage Authority regulations, and secure Puri-Konark Development Authority approvals prior to implementation.
Senior department officials, including OBCC Managing Director Sameer Hota, EIC (Civil) Satyabrata Behera, Puri District Collector Divyajyoti Parida, Works Department Advisor Jayakrishna Das, and Shree Jagannath Temple Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee, attended the meeting.
