Orissa Tourism Industry Notes Significant Potential In Shree Mandir Parikrama

EE News Desk Jan 17, 2024

The tourism industry in Odisha anticipates significant potential in the Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalp (heritage corridor project) in Puri to attract tourists from across the state and abroad. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to inaugurate the Rs 800 crore project on 17 January.

According to industry sources, vibrant marketing and publicity campaigns on TV, media and social media handles have piqued the interest of travel agencies and tourists within the state and beyond.

Debasis Kumar, Vice President, Hotel Association of Puri and owner of Victoria Club Hotel stated that they have been receiving queries from tour operators and planners from other states and countries about the Jagannath Parikrama project. Many tourists have evinced interest to visit Puri to get a feel of the beautification in the periphery of the temple.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) also expresses optimism about the heritage corridor project. According to HRAO Chairman J K Mohanty, the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists in Odisha is expected to see a significant increase from this year after the opening of the Jagannath Parikrama project.

HRAO said that the increased arrival of tourists would give a significant boost to the economy of the state and Puri.

Yugabrata Kar, a Puri-based tour operator, said that they will include the Parikrama Marg sightseeing in their new tour package. Tourists and travel agents from outside are excited to know about the beautification and features for tourists in the project. According to him, Odisha, in general and Puri, in particular, are going to see a massive footfall of tourists in the coming months.

According to tourism officials, 80 per cent of the domestic and international tourists who visit Odisha annually usually tour Puri. In 2022, a total of 78,67,909 domestic and 22,121 foreign tourists visited Odisha, as per the statistics of the state tourism department.

Kar emphasised that the government should ensure that the visitors, who come to Puri to see the Parikrama development in the temple’s periphery, get a pleasant experience inside the temple as well. Hassle-free darshan, timely conduct of rituals, good conduct of servitors, and minimum delay in queues should be ensured to attract devotees.

The government has mentioned that the footfall of tourists to Puri will further increase when the proposed Jagannath International Airport is commissioned. In January 2021, Chief Minister Patnaik wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking support for the proposed airport in Puri. The government has stated that the proposed airport will enhance the tourism potential of Puri and promote new economic activities, leisure and hospitality, health and spiritual centres.

According to a government official, a 2.3 km-long 4-lane Shree Setu (trumpet bridge) at a cost of Rs 200 crore has been constructed by the state government to provide direct access to tourists to the multi-level car parking inside Jagannath Ballav pilgrim centre at Puri from the Puri NH bypass with a view to avoiding traffic congestion inside the town.

Additionally, a 630-meter-long road (Shree Danda) has been constructed at a cost of Rs 90 crore to provide a direct connection from the multi-level car parking inside Jagannath Ballav pilgrim centre to Dolabedi (Shree Mandir Parikrama site) without touching the Bada Danda (Grand Road).