GPR Survey report of Puri Ratna Bhandar likely to come in 2-4 days: Law Minister

The Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey report, conducted to assess the condition of both the ‘Bahar’ and ‘Bhitar’ Ratna Bhandar of Sri Jagannath Temple and to determine the existence of any hidden chambers to tunnels, is most likely to come in a couple of days.

The survey conducted by an expert team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will come out in two or four days, informed Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday. 

The expert team in the presence of the nine-member Ratna Bhandar committee, chaired by Justice Biswanath Rath, had used the latest equipment to scan the walls of Ratna Bhandars of the 12th-century shrine.

Speaking to media, the Law Minister said, “The report of the GPR survey that was conducted has not come yet. It is most likely to come in another two or four days. The next course of action will be taken by the state government only after getting the report.”

“If the report says that there are any gold or silver ornaments inside or any other treasure, or some hidden tunnel, the Odisha government will take necessary steps accordingly. If nothing is found, then ASI will undertake the report work immediately,” he added.

“The counting of the ornaments will be done only after the treasure boxes are taken back to the Ratna Bhandar after the repair work is completed,” he added.

Worth mentioning, the ASI has been entrusted by the state government to conduct repairs and conservation of this twelfth-century temple since 1974.

In the final phase, all the wealth will again be brought back to the Ratna Bhandar where the fresh inventory of the wealth will be made and then compared with the inventory made in 1978.