Odisha pushes Puri airport, heritage and road projects to make temple town world-class
Representative image: xuanduongvan87 / Pixabay
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi on 12 October 2026 ordered faster work on Puri's proposed airport, roads and heritage projects to make it a world-class destination.
What Happened
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday, 12 October 2026 chaired a high-level review of development projects in Puri at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, and said the state government is working to turn the temple town into a world-class heritage and tourism destination while protecting the rituals of Lord Jagannath and the welfare of temple servitors. He directed officials to finish projects within their deadlines without compromising on quality, and ordered the district collector and superintendent of police to carry out field inspections.
Key Facts
- The review was held on 12 October 2026 at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.
- Officials were told to speed up work on the proposed Shri Jagannath International Airport.
- Projects reviewed include the reconstruction of Raghunandan Library and the Shri Jagannath Interpretation Centre.
- Plans for a heritage bridge near Atharanala, redevelopment of Annapurna Theatre, beautification of Puri beach and improvement of Swargadwar were also discussed.
- Road-widening links between Puri and Brahmagiri, Konark and Bhubaneswar were reviewed, along with Blue Flag Beach work and Konark Temple initiatives.
- A new amusement park was discussed.
- Street vendors removed from Bada Danda (Grand Road) are to be relocated temporarily near Shri Setu to limit loss of livelihood.
Why It Matters
Puri, home to the Jagannath Temple, sits at the centre of a tourism circuit with Konark and Bhubaneswar, the places the reviewed road projects are meant to link. The projects discussed on Monday work on several fronts at once: getting people to Puri more easily through an airport and wider roads, giving them more to see through an interpretation centre and restored heritage buildings, and improving the beach front and public spaces.
The proposed international airport is the most significant piece for travellers. A dedicated airport would make Puri easier to reach for pilgrims and tourists from other states and abroad, and could change how the town's economy works, from hotels to local guides.
The review also shows the balance the state is trying to strike. The Chief Minister's emphasis on protecting rituals and his order to quickly relocate street vendors removed from Bada Danda acknowledge that tourism projects can hurt the people who depend on the town's daily trade. How smoothly those relocations happen will be watched by local traders.
For travellers, much of this is still work in progress. Many of the projects are at the planning or construction stage, and the review's main message was about speeding them up, not about new openings.
| Project | Status after review |
|---|---|
| Shri Jagannath International Airport | Officials told to speed up work |
| Raghunandan Library | Reconstruction under review |
| Shri Jagannath Interpretation Centre | Work to be accelerated |
| Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar roads | Widening projects reviewed |
| Bada Danda vendors | Temporary relocation near Shri Setu ordered |
Impact
Short-term: District officials face pressure to meet deadlines, and street vendors from Bada Danda are to be moved to a temporary site near Shri Setu.
Long-term: If the airport, roads and heritage projects are completed, Puri could become easier to reach and more comfortable to visit, drawing more domestic and international tourists to the Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar circuit.
Who is affected: Pilgrims and tourists visiting Puri, temple servitors, hotel and transport businesses, street vendors and local traders, and residents of Puri town.
Key Takeaway
Odisha's Chief Minister has ordered faster work on Puri's airport, roads and heritage projects to make the temple town a world-class destination, while promising to protect Jagannath rituals and vendors' livelihoods.
Questions and Answers
What did the Odisha Chief Minister decide about Puri on 12 October 2026?
Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed Puri's development projects and directed officials to complete them on time and to quality, with field inspections by the district collector and SP, as part of a plan to make Puri a world-class heritage and tourism destination.
Is Puri getting an airport?
A Shri Jagannath International Airport is proposed for Puri, and the Chief Minister told officials to speed up the work. No opening date was announced.
What happens to the vendors removed from Bada Danda?
The Chief Minister ordered that street vendors and temporary shops removed from Bada Danda be relocated immediately, on a temporary basis, near Shri Setu.
Which other places are covered by the projects?
Road-widening links to Brahmagiri, Konark and Bhubaneswar, Blue Flag Beach work, and initiatives related to Konark Temple were part of the review.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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