Ratna Bhandar restoration to be over by July 8: Minister
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Bhubaneswar: Govt has set a deadline to finish restoration work of Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar (treasury) by Neeladri Bije, to be celebrated on July 8, marking the end of this year's Rath Yatra.
The repair work, which commenced on Dec 17, 2024, has been on hold at present due to Chandan Yatra.
Sources said work is set to resume on June 28, a day after Rath Yatra when the deities will be at Gundicha temple. The sibling deities will return to the sanctum sanctorum on July 8.
"Restoration work is on hold since April 29 to facilitate the smooth conduct of Chandan Yatra. The ASI will resume and expedite the work after the deities' departure from the Jagannath Temple's garbha gruha (sanctum sanctorum) on Rath Yatra on June 27.
We expect that the work will be over by Neeladri Bije," law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said on Sunday.
ASI officials intend to work 7-8 hours daily while the deities are away. "Previously, we were restricted to a maximum of two hours of repair work every day to accommodate the deities' daily rituals," an ASI functionary said.
Between Dec 17, 2024 and April 28, 2025, the ASI completed about 200 hours of repair work on the Ratna Bhandar, which was reopened by the govt on July 14, 2024, after 46 years, for urgent restoration.
The minister indicated that the restoration is progressing systematically to ensure the structure remains stable for the next hundred years.
ASI reports indicate work on the inner chamber is nearly over, with floor renovation pending. The damaged flooring will be replaced with Khondalite stone. Five damaged inner chamber beams have been substituted with stainless steel alternatives.
Work on the outer chamber is nearing completion, including replacement of damaged stone and exterior repairs.
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