Puri: Encroachments near the Meghanada Wall of Srimandir are preventing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from conserving and beautifying the structure.
The hands of the district administration and the police are tied on the encroachment issue as the Orissa High Court has ordered status quo regarding shops located near the Meghanada Wall.
Researchers said the Meghanada Wall around Srimandir was constructed during the rule of Gajapati King Kapilendra Dev. The 20-feet high and six-feet wide wall was constructed using khandelite stones. But the wall is undergoing continuous decay due to the salty sea breeze.
ASI officials had found several weak stones and loose plaster on the wall during a routine inspection of the 12th century shrine.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, the agency started repairing the wall recently. “We have replaced some weak stones and applied grout and chemical coats on some portions of the Meghanada Wall. But the encroachments near the wall are preventing us from repairing the wall,” said an ASI official.
Sources said the National Security Guard (NSG) had advised the district administration and Srimandir authorities to remove all shops and vending stalls near the Meghanada Wall while inspecting security arrangements at the shrine.
Subsequently, the police had served eviction notices on 26 shopkeepers there. Challenging the notice, a shopkeeper filed a case in the Orissa High Court. The court ordered status quo on the issue, sources said.
It is learnt that the ASI is planning to raise gardens near the Meghanada Wall to beautify Srimandir surroundings. But the illegal structures around Srimandir have become a major hindrance to the beautification project, said an ASI source.
The Orissa High Court had directed the authorities to maintain the sanctity of the Meghanada Wall. The court had also asked the district administration to ban the construction of buildings higher than the wall near the Srimandir.