Bhubaneswar, Dec 17: The much-anticipated repair and renovation work of the Ratna Bhandar at Puri Srimandir began on Tuesday under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Odisha government.

The repair work is being carried out with the involvement of ASI conservators, chemical experts, medical professionals, Fire Services officials, and a special ASI team, along with temple experts.

Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed the media that the work is expected to be completed within three months. “The ASI has assured us a timeline of three months, but we have requested them to complete it at the earliest,” he said.

The minister further clarified that specific timings have been set for the renovation to ensure that temple rituals and devotees' darshan remain unaffected.

On the first day, the ASI focused on preliminary repair work while observing the temple’s ritual schedule to avoid any disruptions. Devotees can continue to have darshan from outside the Bahara Katha.

As per the schedule, the repair work will take place for five hours daily, starting after the second Bhoga Mandapa. The work will begin between 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM and conclude by 6:00 PM.

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