In a status report submitted to the Orissa High Court on Tuesday, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) informed that a wide crack has been noticed in the Natamandap of the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The court is currently monitoring the repair works undertaken by the ASI in the 12th-century shrine while adjudicating a PIL that seeks judicial intervention for effective repair and renovation of the temple.
Stating that the ongoing repair work of the shrine’s Beharana would be over by February next, the ASI told the court in an affidavit that the crack in the Natamandap was noticed when its cement plaster was removed.
Notably, the HC has appointed a commission of inquiry headed by engineer-turned-lawyer Nagendra Mohanty last month. It informed the court that the condition of the Natamandap needs immediate attention.