By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar November 7, 2016 : The Odisha High Court on Monday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Superintendent to appear before it personally on November 17 with detailed report on progress in repair of 12th century Jagannath Temple at Puri, 58 kilometers from here.

The bench expressed its displeasure over the slow progress of repair of Jagamohan, the hall facing sanctum sanctorum of the Temple and it directed the ASI to submit a complete report on the work done so far. It has posted the matter for the next hearing on November 17.

The HC while refusing to interfere in the technical aspects of the repair work of Jagamohan, however, ruled that it will continue to monitor the legal aspects of it to ensure that the works were completed as per schedule.

Earlier, the ASI had informed the court that the fixing of the steel pillars would be done by November; the fixing of the box frames by April, 2017 and the entire renovation work of the prayer hall would be over by June 2017, much before next year’s Rath Yatra. But the work appears to be progressing at a snail’s pace.