The Odisha government has planned to mobilise around 10,000 people daily for a month to visit the Shree Mandira Parikrama Project – a Rs 800-crore heritage corridor around Puri’s renowned Jagannath Temple – which will be inaugurated on January 17.

The Naveen Patnaik government has directed district collectors to ensure smooth movement of devotees from every panchayat and civic body to Puri from January 22. Special fund has been allocated for the purpose.

“Smooth movement of devotees from your district to Puri for witnessing the Shree Mandira Parikrama Prakalpa is the priority as emphasised by the Chief Secretary via videoconferencing on January 12,” said panchayati raj secretary S K Lohani in a letter to the collectors.

The collectors have been asked to make requisition for adequate number of buses for movement of devotees while elaborate plans have been made at the transit camps for their comfortable stay. Every district will appoint a nodal officer for the overall coordination of the exercise, while every district will set up a control room for monitoring.

“The Parikrama project is a massive infrastructure push around the Jagannath Temple. Completion of the project will be a historical day for Odisha. It will enhance the experience of lakhs of devotees visiting the temple every day. People of the state should see the project,” said a senior government officer.

The Opposition has criticised the move calling it an exercise to garner support for the ruling BJD by spending money from the state exchequer. Around Rs 20 crore has been approved for mobilising devotees from villages to Puri.

The Parikrama project, a 75-metre free passage built around the outer walls (Meghanada Pacheri) of the shrine, is aimed to ensure security to the temple and provide basic civic amenities to the devotees. It has been developed with an investment of Rs 800 crore.

Massive arrangements have been made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for its inauguration on Wednesday, five days before the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya Ram temple. Senior officers of the state government are camping in Puri to oversee the preparations.

Odisha Director-General of Police (in-charge) Arun Kumar Sarangi said Puri has been put under a security blanket with deployment of around 80 platoons (over 3,000 personnel) for the grand opening ceremony.

Patnaik on Monday appealed to people to dedicate themselves to the devotion of Mahaprabhu Jagannath as it’s a day of celebration for the Odia community. Patnaik has also appealed people to join the January 17 celebrations by lighting diyas, reciting bhajans and kirtans and blowing conches in their own ways.