Members of the technical committee review the restoration drive of Jagannath temple in Puri. Picture by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, March 11: The restoration and repair of the 12th century Jagannath temple in Puri will be over by December this year.

This was decided at a joint meeting of members of the technical committee, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), temple administration and the state culture department.

The ASI has been entrusted with the maintenance and preservation of the ancient temple since 1975.

Deputy superintending archaeologist of the ASI Jiban Patnaik, who attended today’s meeting, said: “We hope all the restoration and repair works will be completed by December.”

On December 3 last year, the state government had urged the Centre to initiate urgent steps for timely completion of conservation and maintenance work of the 12th century monument.

The Telegraph had earlier published a detailed report on the ASI’s callous attitude on carrying out repair and renovation of the temple, compelling the state government to threaten the ASI of going to court on this issue.

A technical team had carried out a survey on the main temple and 103 shrines on its premises and suggested immediate repair.

The committee found minor lapses in conservation, especially on joint sealing (pointing) of stones, laying of tiles on roof of Kurma Bedha (inner boundary around the main temple) at a few places and installation of inferior stones at some places. The defects in selecting bad-quality stone and joint sealing work must have taken place due to neglect at the execution level, the committee had observed.

On January 15, Union culture secretary Ravindra Singh visited the temple and directed the ASI to expedite the restoration.

State culture secretary Arvind Padhee, who made a spot inspection along with the technical committee, said: “The timelines given earlier for completion of restoration and repair of the temple were not met. We hope about expeditious completion of works before the nabakalebar (change of idols of the Trinity).”

It was decided that restoration of the Singha Dwar (main entrance to the temple) would be over by May end, and the iron scaffoldings around the structure would be removed.

Quality stones required for the restoration were supplied from the temple’s own stone quarry, the meeting was informed.

An expert committee was constituted to fix wages for skilled artisans.