Bhubaneswar: The Puri district administration is under pressure following requests from across the country to accommodate VVIPs, who will be witnessing rath yatra on Saturday.
All the guests houses in Puri are almost filled up.
Seeing the rush and demand for the circuit house, governor Ganeshi Lal, who is supposed to stay there, will continue staying in Puri Raj Bhavan, which has been declared unsafe.
Earlier, the Governor House had approached the Puri district administration for a few rooms in the circuit house to accommodate Lal, his family and other staff members.
President Ram Nath Kovind during his visit to the state in March last had also stayed in the circuit house for this reason only, officials recalled.
Sources said the governor, who had decided to extend his full co-operation to the district administration, would see the entire festival starting from nabajauban darshan from Friday till July 17.
"After the district administration explained that it would only be able to provide four to five rooms, the governor himself intervened. Keeping three to four rooms in the circuit house for his staff members, the governor, himself, decided to stay along with all his family members in the Raj Bhavan," said an official.
He said: "A portion of the Raj Bhavan has been repaired for the visit or governor, and all issues are being addressed for his stay."
The Puri Raj Bhavan had been constructed in 1913 and is spread over more than 10 acres close to the beach.
During the British era, governors used to stay here during the summer seasons.
Puri road and buildings executive engineer P.B. Samnatray said: "Though it has been declared unsafe, there are some rooms which are good and can be used."
He added: "As the governor understands there is a space constraint in Puri, he might have opted to stay here. We have undertaken adequate repair works."
The Puri temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for the nabajauban darshan of the deities, when the deities would come out of their 14-day hibernation on Friday.
