The Puri Shree Jagannath Temple Administration is planning to provide cheap accommodation to devotees who visit the shrine from all over the country, temple chief administrator Krishan Kumar announced on Saturday.

The Bhakta Niwas, which will have dormitory accommodation, will offer beds at rates between Rs 100 and Rs 150 each. It is expected to come up on a 10-acre plot at Baseli Sahi, 2.5km from the 12th century shrine.

“Devotees can stay by just paying Rs 100 to Rs 150 for one bed. There will be arrangements to accommodate 3,000 to 4,000 devotees,” an official said.

The announcement came four days ahead of the opening of the Shree Jagannath Temple for devotees on December 23. The temple has remained closed since March because of the pandemic.

In the first phase, only the servitors and their families will be allowed to enter the shrine on December 23 and 24. Over the next week, only people from Puri will get permission to visit the temple.

The shrine will remain closed on January 1 and 2. From January 3, the temple will be thrown open to all devotees but those visiting will have to produce Covid-negative reports.

Krishan Kumar, the temple chief administrator, made the announcement of the cheap accommodation after inspecting Odisha government-initiated development work at the temple corridor and in Puri city with V.K. Pandian, private secretary to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Earlier, Naveen had visited Puri on October 17 and directed the administration to expedite the developmental projects.

The Puri district administration has courted controversy following its decision to dismantle the 100-year-old Bagala Dharmasala, which used to provide accommodation at rates between Rs 10 and Rs 20. The dharmasala is located 100 metres from the temple.

Local journalist and social activist Jagannath Bastia has challenged the demolition of the dharmshala in the high court.

“The Puri temple administration should set up the Bhakta Niwas near the temple so that elderly devotees find it convenient. The proposed site is far away from the temple.

Beside, the temple administration should reduce the tariff of the existing three Bhakta Niwases. They are charging like hotels,” Bastia said.

The three Bhakta Niwases offer rooms at rates between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,400.

There are nearly 650 hotels and lodges in Puri. Prior to the lockdown, nearly 30,000 people used to visit Puri every day but now the number has drastically reduced.

“People have started coming to Puri again. But it will take time for the tourist business to pick up,” said Puri Hotel Owners’ Association president Ramakrushna Das Mohapatra.