Puri: Nanguli mutt located very close to the Jagannath temple housing thirty commercial shops popularly known as ‘looga Patti’ was demolished Tuesday amid tight security.
The demolition was carried out as the state government has decided demolish all structures up to 75 meter around the 12th century edifice, for security reasons.
The process of demolition began Tuesday amid tight security in the presence of District Superintendent of Police and other senior officers. Five heavy duty excavators and hundreds of men took about eight hours to bring down the two story building.However, the small temple in the mutt complex remained untouched.
Soon after the demolition all the debris was shifted by heavy transport vehicles and the site was cleaned.
Earlier Monday Mahantas were informed about the execution of special Rs 500 crore project for Puri Temple announced by Chief minister Navene Patnaik last week.
As per the plan all structures on a 75 metre radius from the Meghnad prachir (the temple wall) are to be demolished for the safety and security of Lord Jaganath temple and the devotees.
Puri district magistrate Balwant Singh told media persons yesterday that Mahantas had agreed to the demolition operation.
The shop owners operating from the Mutt were asked Sunday night to vacate their shops by Monday noon. Power connection to the mutt building was disconnected before the demolition began. The businessmen shifted their stocks and demolition was carried out.
About 25 platoons of police and eight magistrates were deployed at the site for the smooth conduct of the demolition. Puri District Superintendent of Police Umashankar Dash, Additional District Magistrate and Sub Collector were present during the demolition drive.
The mutt building was declared unsafe nearly a decade ago and the Mahant was asked to demolish it. The administration every year during the rath Yatra direct the mutt to seal the gates to prevent devotees from going to roof of the mutt to witness the car festival.
August 19 last the district administration as scheduled began demolition of both private and government structures located in close proximity to the Meghnad prachir of Sri Jagannath temple. Before the demolition began police sealed the area and power supply to the structures were disconnected.
In the first phase the cloak room, toilet complex and shoe stand were brought down.
This apart nine other structures like the information stall, power supply substation, police outpost and Ramdaya parishad buildings were also demolished. The demolition was being carried out as the ASI had approached the administration to clear the structures from the temple wall as these structures posed security threat.
Earlier in 2015 the Puri district administration had removed 89 structures from around the temple wall.
(UNI)