Bhubaneswar, Sept 3: The first meeting of the newly constituted Shree Jagannatha Temple Managing Committee was held in Puri, where several important resolutions were adopted. A total of 14 sub-committees were formed to oversee temple governance, devotee welfare, financial management, and cultural preservation.

For the first time, a Security Sub-Committee has been created, chaired by Girish Murmu, with the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, and sevayats as members.

Other key panels include the Finance Committee, Treasury Committee, Appeal Sub-Committee, Sevayat Welfare Committee (chaired by the District Collector), Land Sub-Committee (chaired by the Chief Administrator), and cultural and research-focused sub-committees.

A Law Sub-Committee will examine and suggest amendments to the Shree Jagannath Temple Act. Lawyers have been engaged to safeguard temple lands and assets.

To improve devotee experience, the committee discussed introducing a queue system for darshan at Natamandap. The system will be implemented on a trial basis with an SOP ensuring that rituals remain unaffected. The ASI has approved air-conditioning for the Natamandap.

The committee also approved the construction of a ramp at the northern gate for differently-abled devotees and discussed the establishment of a breastfeeding room inside the temple premises.

Deliberations were also held on ISKCON’s conduct of Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra on separate dates and its use of the name “Jagannath Dham” for Digha, which raised concerns among committee members.

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