Orissa High Court on Friday issued a notice to the state government and the Archaeological Survey of India seeking their response on the status of the ongoing heritage corridor project around the 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Hearing a petition filed by social activist Dillip Kumar Baral, who has challenged the work being carried out, the high court directed the state government and the ASI to make their stand clear on the project.

Advocate Anup Kumar Mohapatra, appearing for Baral, told The Telegraph: “We had filed a petition on March 7. The high court has sought to know what sort of work is going on and what is being constructed under the heritage project. It also wanted to know whether the work has the required permission of the authorities concerned and whether there is any structural threat to the temple. The next hearing would be on April 21. Both the parties (state government and the ASI) have been directed to submit their response by April 17.”

Social activists and Opposition parties have alleged that work under the Puri Heritage Corridor Project was illegal as it violated the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 which prohibited new construction within 100 metres from a protected monument.