Bhubaneswar, Sept 18: A six-member team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited the Sun Temple in Konark on Wednesday to assess the ongoing sand evacuation from the sanctum sanctorum (‘garbhagriha’) of the 13th-century monument in Puri district.

ASI Additional Director General Janhwij Sharma described the visit as part of a routine inspection. “The Sun Temple at Konark is a world heritage site, and we conduct regular inspections,” he said. The temple's Jagmohan, standing 70 feet high, was filled with sand in 1903 under the orders of Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, JA Bourdillon, to prevent structural collapse.

The ASI is currently drilling a small hole in the temple’s wall to assess its strength. Once this phase is completed, laser and endoscopy scans will be conducted to evaluate the structure.

The ASI accepted a proposal to remove the sand after a study by the Central Building Research Institute revealed that the sand filling had settled by 12.5 feet, causing some stones to dislodge.

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