Bhubaneswar: Devotees will able to offer prayers standing at a distance of 30ft from the idols at the Jagannath temple in Puri with the administration deciding to throw open Jagmohan to them from Monday.

Jagannath temple PRO, Lakshmidhar Pujapanda said: "According to the direction of Orissa High Court, the administration has decided to open the Jagmohan from April 16 to the people."

The Jagmohan was closed to public since January 28, 2016, as the ASI had started taking up repair of the inner side of the temple including the sanctum sanctorum.

However for the last one year, devotees have been demanding opening up of the Jagmohan. The issue had reached the high court and opening of the prayer hall to public was ordered.