New Delhi: The mysterious tunnel and secret room connected to the Ratna Bhandar of the famous Jagannath temple in Puri have been in the news for a long time. Recently, Odisha government's Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan gave a clarification on this and said that no signs of any such structure have been found in the treasury of the temple.

Investigation done with ground-penetrating radar.

On the instructions of the Odisha government, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey of the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath temple. Let us tell you, that the purpose of this technique is to detect underground structures, which can give accurate information about a possible secret tunnel or room. Minister Harichandan said that the preliminary investigation report of the ASI has not found any evidence of the existence of any kind of tunnel or secret room. He also said that the final report is being awaited to be completely sure, after which concrete information will be revealed on this matter.

Cracks in the treasury are a matter of concern.

Minister Harichandan also informed that cracks have been seen on the walls of the Ratna Bhandar. Although there is no evidence of a tunnel or a secret room, these cracks remain a matter of concern for the structure of the temple. After the ASI survey, the temple administration has proposed to repair the cracks. At the same time, the Law Minister said that it is not possible to start the repair work of the treasury immediately, as the holy month of Kartik is going on at this time. During this time, a huge crowd of devotees gathers in the temple, which may create obstacles in the repair work. After the month of Kartik, when the crowd in the temple decreases, ASI can start the work of repairing the cracks, which may take about a month.

Emphasis on the preservation of heritage

Keeping in mind the safety of the Jagannath temple and the preservation of the historical heritage, the government and the ASI are being cautious. The temple administration and devotees are confident that necessary steps will be taken to repair the structure and prevent any kind of damage in the future, so that the dignity of this historical temple remains intact.