The Rs 1.15 crore sanctioned for infrastructure development of Maa Budhi Thakurani temple in Ganjam district two years ago is yet to be spent by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) that is supposed to execute the work.
The temple is the epicentre of the biennial Thakurani Yatra that the Silk City is famous for.
The amount was meant for a gate, public centre and toilet facilities. Besides, lighting, drinking water and parking facilities would also be developed near the temple located in the heart of the town.
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People from far-off places visit the temple every day and the numbers surge on Sankranti and every Tuesday in the month of 'Chaitra' .
The district administration took more than half acre of land near the temple from the temple trust and handed it over to OTDC for the work in May last.
Though tender has already been finalised, work could not start due to encroachment near the temple site, an engineer of the corporation said.
"We have taken up the matter with the district collector. But the area was not free from encroachment," OTDC Superintending Engineer, S Chakraborty, said.
He said efforts are on to start the work as soon as possible.
More people will visit the temple once the infrastructure gets a boost, Berhampur MLA R C Chyaupatnaik said.
He urged the government to accord the state-level festival tag to the famous Thakurani Yatra that is now underway.
The festival marks the visit of the Goddess to her father's house in Desibehera Street.
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