The statue of Utkalmani Gopababdhu Das situated near the Lions Gate of the Jagannath Temple here will be moved to some other location as per a plan of the Government.
Though the particular place where the white marble idol of Utkalmani will stay is yet not ascertained, however sources revealed that the bust will be put in somewhere in the Lions’ gate area after leaving the Meghanada Pacheri (temple wall).
In the wake of a town planning in Puri, the administration will undertake massive evictions from August 19 near the Jagannath Temple and some main streets of the pilgrim city. Following eviction many old religious structures are believed to be demolished closer to wall based on security purposes of the Shreemandir.
Pradipta Mohapatra, chief administrator of the Jagannath Temple, said on Friday that he knows about new planning, but what will happen there with regard to the statue is unknown to him.
Notably, in a major decision, a second phase of evictions will be undertaken near the temple and many streets of Puri. The idol of Gopandhu was first displaced in 2015 to temple wall from an advance space near the Lions Gate. Amid protests against displacement,the administration had successfully removed the idol and kept it on the