Cuttack, March 7: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) today told Orissa High Court that primary work for installation of stainless steel support to the cracked stone beams inside Jagannath temple prayer hall was on track.

The works department had undertaken the installation of a stainless steel portal frame to support the cracked stone beams inside the Jagmohan.

The ASI is expected to dig 1.65ft below the floor to install the pillars of the frame before sealing them up. In an affidavit, ASI (Bhubaneswar circle) superintending archaeologist H.A. Naik told the high court that the agency had completed opening and grouting the floor in two of the six spots where the pillars of the frame would be located. The ASI will be required to excavate six locations, four of which have a foundation area of 2,000mm x 750mm, while the dimension of other two is 1,700mm x 4,000mm.

Earlier, ASI's director general, Delhi, had asked the works department "to take up the work of installation of portal frame in the Jagmohan".

In the affidavit, Naik said the ASI had already given Rs 3.71 crore to the works department for the job.

"Taking note, the division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B.R. Sarangi today directed the ASI to file an affidavit specifying whether the installation of stainless steel box type portal frame would be completed as per schedule by May," central government counsel Chandrakanta Pradhan said.

The Jagmohan's roof rests on four central stone columns (pillars), supported by eight stone beams. There are cracks on the beams and pillars that pose a threat to the structure. The work of providing stainless steel portal frame support to the beams is vital as it covers 50 per cent of the work.

The digging of the floor is expected to be carried out sequentially to ensure safety of the stone columns. In an affidavit on January 3, the works department had pointed out that the ASI had said a minimum 15 to 20 days were required at any particular location for such activities.