The Puri municipality authority has withdrawn the tender for setting up of a parking place for two-wheelers at the site of the razed complex of Emar Mutt in front of the Jagannath Temple in the city after criticism from the devotees.

Puri municipality executive officer Bijay Kumar Das said, “We have withdrawn the tender and sent a notice to the person concerned. The arrangement for parking was made on a temporary basis. As the land was vacated, we had made arrangement of parking of two-wheelers of servitors and devotees.”

Welcoming the decision, Convener of Shree Jagannath Sena, Priyadarshan Patnaik said

“A cycle stand on that mutt land is not acceptable to us . During the demolition of Emar mutt, the government had announced 100-year old Raghunandan library located inside the premises of the 900 year-old Emar mutt will be built at a cost of Rs 25 crore. As per the announcement, it will be a three- storied structure with the top level as viewing gallery. Hope government will keep its promise. If government fails to keep its promise, we will go for an agitation.”