Puri: Management committee of Jagannath temple today permitted the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out drone assessment of the ‘Nilachakra’. The meeting of the committee scheduled on May 6 was postponed for severe cyclone Fani.
The ASI has sought the permission of the management committee to use drone photography as Puri administration in 2014 had declared the airspace around the famous shrine as “no-fly zone” after a number of aerial videos of the shrine were circulated in social media.
Temple’s chief administrator Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said that the drone will be used as it will difficult to climb the temple to assess the Nilachakra. “The ownership of drone photography will lie with the temple administration. It will be exclusively used for technical rectification of Nilachakra,” said Mohaptra.
Mohapatra said that the superintending archaeologist of ASI sought apology for damage to lion idols on the south and west side of the temple and has assured that such incidents will not happen. “The ASI has also agreed to undertake LED lighting project for the temple at their cost,” added Mohapatra.
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Ms Kalinga