ASI Team Inspects Sand Evacuation Progress at Konark Sun Temple

Konark: A six-member team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), led by ADG Janhwij Sharma, inspected the Sun Temple in Konark on Wednesday to assess the ongoing sand removal work from the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) of the 13th-century temple. This visit was part of routine inspections at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“The inspection was routine. It’s a world heritage monument, and such checks are conducted periodically,” said Sharma.

The sand removal process from the Jagamohan (Assembly Hall) began in January 2023, when a construction company, working under ASI, set up a mechanical platform with scaffolds using cranes. The work was halted for some months but resumed in August 2023.

While progress has been made on the northwest and southwest sides with the installation of a mechanical platform, iron structures, and ladders for safe movement, the sand evacuation work has stalled, according to sources.

The sand removal is expected to be completed within three years. A tunnel measuring four feet by five feet will be constructed at the temple’s western gate to access the sand and debris, which will be removed through this passage. The entire process is being supervised by the ASI.

It’s worth noting that in 1903, the British filled the Jagamohan with sand to prevent its collapse.