Cuttack, Sept. 9: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has completed replacement of all damaged and dislodged stones inside the Jagmohan of the Jagannath temple in Puri.

The roof of the Jagmohan rests mainly on four central stone columns supported with eight stone beams. The sloped walls of the four sides are called corbels that have two layers (lower and upper).

As many as 70 stones of the masonry walls, pockets, corbels have been replaced with "good quality stones in traditional method," stated the ASI's progress report on the repair work.

The progress report was submitted in Orissa High Court in pursuance of a direction to give details of works which have already been completed along with those which are in progress and the works which had not started.

In the report, ASI's regional director (eastern zone) Madan Singh Chouhan said the replacement of stones had followed "the de-plaster of entire dead / loose lime plaster from the interior surface of the Jagmohan in ceiling, corbel walls, beams, pillars and pockets." The report said the de-plaster work inside the Jagmohan covered 1,362sqmt.

Though the Jagmohan's dilapidated condition had come to notice in 2008 and an expert committee proposed removal of the lime plaster for undertaking conservation, the de-plastering was not undertaken till January this year.

After the plasters, which had decayed inside the sloped walls of the prayer hall, were taken off, cracks in the eight beams and four columns posing threat to the structure came to light.

The report said the process of removing rusts in beams had been completed. Temporary support to distressed beams of the Jagmohan had been provided by using steel support on three sides.

Chemical cleaning of the de-plastered walls inside the Jagmohan and de-plastering and conservation work outside are still in progress, Chouhan said in his report submitted on August 29.

The issue of Jagmohan's protection reached the high court after Cuttack resident Abhisek Das filed a PIL alleging the Puri Jagannath temple structure was in danger "due to inaction" of the state and Union government."

The progress report further said the major repair works such as supporting the stone beams with a stainless steel portal frame and strengthening of the stone columns (pillars) inside the Jagmohan by using steel sheets had not started as the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, is yet to finalise the design for them.

Taking note of the progress report, the court had set September 14 as deadline for the ASI to commit before it in an affidavit a cut-off date for completion of the restoration work. The court was hearing the PIL seeking the court's intervention for effective repair.