Odisha CM Unveils Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalpa (SMPP)

January 18, 2024

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik recently unveiled the Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalpa (SMPP), a large development project around Puri’s 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple. The project aims to transform Puri into a world-class heritage destination for pilgrims.

Multi-Zone Development

The 75-meter heritage corridor around the temple is divided into nine zones, including:

A 7-meter green buffer zone with terraced landscapes
10-meter inner and outer paths for processions and circumambulation
A 14-meter garden showcasing trees integral to Jagannath culture
Public facilities like restrooms, drinking fountains, and more
Designated emergency and service vehicle lanes
Traffic lanes ensuring access to neighboring areas
These zones will improve infrastructure and amenities for visitors.

ABADHA Initiative

The Puri heritage corridor is part of a broader ABADHA initiative encompassing 22 development projects for the temple town. For instance, the Shree Setu is a 1.5 km interchange linking the Grand Road to the national highway. Additionally, new link roads, multi-modal hubs, multi-level parking complexes, and market areas are planned to ease congestion and enhance amenities.

Other initiatives include recharging ancient water bodies and upgrading the Atharanala bridge infrastructure. The overarching Puri redevelopment plan aligns with Odisha’s 5T good governance program focused on transformation. The Chief Minister’s Office provided close supervision, with the 5T chairman regularly reviewing progress.

Overcoming Major Hurdles

The project faced hurdles like demolishing century-old buildings and obtaining clearances. The state offered compensation and made appeals to cooperate for completing this important spiritual project. Legal disputes were also resolved through dismissals and fines.

Grand Opening Plans

The state invited 1,000 temples for the January 2024 inauguration. Teams visited different states with invites. Festivities and offerings will be brought from across Odisha for ceremonies.

Additional Temple Upgrades

The Odisha government has greenlit a Rs 2,000 crore budget to redevelop other major temples across the state, in addition to the Puri Jagannath Temple project. A headlining initiative is the revamp of 66 acres surrounding the 11th century Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, with Rs 700 crore allocated.

Further, over a dozen key temples will receive facelifts, including the Sun Temple in Konark, Samaleswari Temple in Sambalpur, Chandi Mandir in Cuttack among others across Odisha. The beautification plans for these spiritual sites are slated for completion prior to the 2024 general elections.

Political Significance

The temple projects tie into Odisha’s cultural identity. As such, they hold political importance for countering BJP’s Hindu nationalist narratives in the state ahead of 2024 general elections.

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