Though late but finally, the district administration has carried out infrastructure development work to allure more tourists to increase footfalls at Sakhibata, one of the tourist spots of Kendrapada district.
Sakhibata, which has got tourism tag 8 years ago by the State Tourism Department, is situated near Luna river at Gaudagaon village under Janpada panchayat of Marshaghai block, 2-3 km from the Paradip-Daitary Expressway.
The place is an amalgamation of nature and spiritual worship. The calmness and serenity of its environment along with more than 600 trunks and sub-trunks of a gigantic banayan tree that spread across 1.3 acre allures the tourists throughout the year. The place is also a reminder of its historic importance.
There are three temples in the premises of Sakhibata. Lord Baladevjew is worshiped at the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple. On the side of the main temple, another temple was constructed where the trinity, Lord Baladevjew, Maa Subhadra and Lord Jagannath, is worshipped. In another temple, Lord Radha Krishna is worshiped.
But it remained a picture of neglect due to the callous attitude and lack of interest shown by the district Tourism Department and district administration. To increase the footfall and to promote the place, the district administration has taken the initiative and carried out the infrastructure developmental work ,like erecting boundary wall, parking place, cooking room, toilets and approach road to provide better facilities for the tourists.
On Wednesday, district Collector, Samart Verma, the local BDO and the PRI members visited Sakhibata in order to review the ongoing developmental works.