The Odisha government has received no objection certificates (NoCs) from the National Monument Authority (NMA) for its construction and beautification projects at the Sun Temple in Konark, the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, and the Jagannath Temple in Puri, albeit with conditions.
According to a state government official, the NMA’s NoCs have put an end to the debate over the alleged illegal construction near the Shree Jagannath Reception Center near the shrine in Puri that dates back to the 12th century. However, the new structures will need to be slightly moved from the original location.
As petitioners alleged that project construction activity had harmed the health of the temple, cases were brought in the high court against the “irregularities.”
Samarth Varma, the Puri Collector, stated, “We have received the National Monument Authority’s NoC for the heritage route. The job will now pick back up in intensity. Considering granting licences to applicants for construction-related activities in prohibited and restricted areas is one of the duties of the NMA, which works under the Ministry of Culture.
“We have received NoC for the heritage route from the National Monument Authority,” said Puri Collector Samarth Varma. The work will now pick up speed again. Examining requests for permission to conduct construction-related activity in restricted and regulated areas is one of the duties of the NMA, which reports to the Ministry of Culture.
Instead of in the restricted area of the monument, the Sree Jagannath welcome centre will now be built there.
The NMA document, which is accessible with PTI, stated that “The Authority recommended issuance of NoC for building of Shree Jagannatha Reception Centre in the restricted area at a distance of 101.50 metres from the protected monument.”
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958 states that the vicinity of a monument within 100 metres is a “prohibited” zone, while the vicinity within 200 metres is a “controlled” zone.
But the state administration had initially intended to build the receiving centre inside the restricted area.
The NMA established general guidelines for heritage projects, including that all new buildings should be non-intrusive and free of any heavy architecture, utilise temporary structures whenever practical, and avoid the use of heavy equipment for digging work.
The project, which aims to give visitors improved amenities including restrooms and cloakrooms, was founded last year by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Puri’s titular ruler Gajapati Dibya Singha Deb.
The state government requested authorization to move the proposed construction from the forbidden zone to the regulated zone in April after receiving complaints and resistance and submitting a new proposal for the reception centre.
The choice was made by the NMA at a meeting on September 9.
In addition to this, the NMA has granted permission to carry out construction projects in the restricted area of Bhubaneswar’s 11th-century Lingaraj Temple. A revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been submitted to NMA by the Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation (OBCC).
Additional things for the temple, including the construction of a heritage park and entrance plaza, have also been approved.
At the 13th-century Konark Sun Temple, a World Heritage Site, the NMA has similarly approved the construction of a foot overbridge, transport hub, boulevard, landscaped plaza, and information centre in the restricted area.
The NMA stated that in order to minimise any negative effects on the protected sites, the works would need to be carried out under the direction of the Archeological Survey of India.
Aparajita Sarangi, a BJP member from Bhubaneswar, commended the NMA for requesting that the Odisha government move the welcome centre from the forbidden area to the regulated zone after she had brought up the matter of “illegal building” at the Jagannath temple in the Lok Sabha.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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