An amount of Rs350 crore is being spent to increase the power supply through underground cable network in Puri headquarters town, said Energy Secretary SC Mahapatra at a meeting of the Nabakalebar infrastructure development committee here on Tuesday.

Overhead power lines along the Grand Road (Badadanda) have been made underground and the work for the rest of the town is in steady progress, informed Mahapatra. Puri MlA and Nabakalebar panel chairman Maheswar Mohanty assessed progress of the power sector for the grand ritual scheduled for June, 2015. To meet the ever increasing need for power, a special power grid is being installed at Samagara village close to the town along the Puri-Konarak marine drive road at a cost of Rs82 crore.

Since Puri is situated close to the sea, most of the overhead power supply lines are subject to salinity and high humidity causing corrosion. This is the single most reason for power supply breakdown, besides cyclones and gusty wind pressure. With laying of underground power cable network, the problem will be mitigated, said Mahapatra. Twenty three hi-max lights would be installed along the Puri beach.

The Puri-Konark marine drive, Puri-Bhubaneswar and Puri-Brahmagiri roads would be illuminated too, said Mohapatra. Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das, Srimandir administration chief Bikash Chandra Mahapatra, Gridco CMD Hemant Kumar Sharma and the district Collector Arabind Agarwal were present.

later, in the temple MlA Mohanty interacted with representatives of the Daita Nijog to ensure timely observance of the rituals. As per the temple tradition, the Daitas remain in charge of the Nabakalebar ritual of the deities and conduct the annual Rath Yatra. They presented their grievances like payment of old wages and other things to Mohanty and the latter assured them to address their grievances at the earliest.