Puri: Odisha has approved an additional ₹100.83 crore for infrastructure and heritage projects in Puri, taking their combined estimated cost from ₹557.19 crore to ₹658.03 crore. The revision represents an increase of about 18.1%.
One of the major additions is a 2,000-seat multipurpose hall planned on the fifth floor of the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre (JBPC).
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved the revised allocation on October 8 while reviewing the projects being carried out under the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme. The Chief Minister’s Office attributed the increase to additional construction work and other project requirements.
The funding covers four major projects: the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre, Market Complex, Shree Setu and the Musa River expansion project. The revised estimate brings the combined cost of these works to more than ₹658 crore, although the government has not released a project-wise breakdown of the additional ₹100.83 crore.
The new multipurpose hall is a significant addition to the pilgrim centre. Planned on its fifth floor, the facility will have seating for 2,000 people. The announcement did not give a separate cost for the hall, making it difficult to establish how much of the revised estimate is linked to this addition and how much relates to the other projects.
Shree Setu is a four-lane road connection stretching about 2.3 kilometres between National Highway 316 and the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre. The Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation lists its project cost at ₹195.01 crore and records its inauguration on January 17, 2024. The road is therefore an established part of Puri’s infrastructure, and the latest announcement does not clarify what additional work or expansion is planned under the revised allocation.
The Market Complex and Musa River expansion project are also included in the revised estimate. Both are part of the group of works reviewed by the Chief Minister, but the latest announcement offers no separate figures for their revised costs. The overall increase therefore cannot yet be attributed to any one project beyond the identified addition of the multipurpose hall.
Majhi said the state government would ensure there was no shortage of funds for the development of Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. The approval increases the financial provision for the projects, while leaving the public without a detailed account of how the extra money will be distributed.
The scale of the revision makes that information important. The combined estimate has risen by nearly one-fifth, from ₹557.19 crore to ₹658.03 crore. A project-wise statement of revised costs and work schedules would help establish what has changed since the original estimates and what the additional funding is expected to deliver.
For now, the key question is how the ₹100.83 crore will be divided among the four projects, particularly how much is required for the new hall at the pilgrim centre. The answer would give a clearer picture of why the total cost has risen and what the revised spending will mean for Puri’s development.
Sources: Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation ·
