High-level ASI team to start inspection of Srimandir Ratna Bhandar soon, says Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

A high-level team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will start the inspection work of Puri Srimandir ‘Ratna Bhandar’ before the repair and renovation work of the Lord’s treasury is undertaken, said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

According to the Minister, the old and the current list of the ornaments will be compared and then only it could be ascertained that everything is correct.

“Odisha government has invited ASI to carry out the inspection work in Puri Ratna Bhandar. Inspection work of Ratna Bhandar will be undertaken by a high-level committee soon. The current government will carry out the counting work. The old and current inventory lists will be tallied to find out that everything is correct,” said Pradhan.

Notably, valuables of inner and outer Ratna Bhandar have been shifted to the temporary strong room in two phases. In the next phase, empty chests and almirahs were also shifted. 

Subsequently, ASI will scan the Ratna Bhandar to find out if any more valuables are present. The repair work will start after the completion of the required scanning.

Notably, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has already written a letter to ASI to start the inspection work of the Ratna Bhandar.

Pradhan also informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Odisha on September 17 to launch Subhadra Yojana.