Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the Jagannath Puri heritage corridor on January 17. "Shri Mandir Parikrama Project will be inaugurated on January 17 and the Maharaja of temple administration will inaugurate it in the presence of the Chief Minister... We have made an elaborative arrangement to conduct this programme in everybody's presence.," said Collector Samarth Verma.
SJTA and other officials visited Naveen Niwas with an invitation
Earlier, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri, and senior servitors of the 12th-century shrine visited Lingaraj temple this morning and invited Lord Lingaraj and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today.
Later, the team visited Naveen Niwas, the residence of the CM and handed him the invitation. They also had invited Mahaparvhabu Lord Jagannath and Jagadguru Shankaracharya to Puri.
The delegates started their journey on December 26 morning from Puri Jagannath Temple with the invitation of the Srimandir Parikrama Project inauguration. One team will travel to various major 'Deva Peethas' across the state to distribute invitations, while another team will travel outside the state.
Safety measures for devotees
Notably, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik introduced the Srimandir Heritage Corridor project to curb the challenges during the Rath Yatra in Puri in 2022. The Srimandir Parikrama Project is well-equipped with resting places and greater public amenities; drinking water, toilets, and a cloakroom are being added, and numerous other additions are provided for the devotees. The open spaces inserted around the temple reduced the fear of any stampede and eased the flow of human traffic into the temple and then its exit.
Apart from that, security stations have been provided to enhance the safety and security of the devotees. The devotees are deeply thankful to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his visionary leadership in envisioning this massive transformation of the surroundings of Srimandir through the Srimandir Parikrama Project.
