The Digha Sankarpur Development Authority has decided to shift the site for the proposed 214ft-high Jagannath Temple further away from the sea because of the experience of Cyclone Amphan that caused havoc in Bengal in May.

The temple will be built near the Digha railway station, a kilometre away from the original site that was closer to the sea.

“The cyclone on May 20 forced us to make a few changes to the original plan. While a small shrine will come up near the sea, the main temple will be built close to the Digha railway station,” said Akhil Giri, the vice-chairman of the DSDA.

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had unveiled a plan to build the Jagannath Temple, like the one in Puri, near the Old Digha beach in August last year. The announcement was made during the inauguration of a convention centre at Digha.

“There is already a small Jagannath Temple near the beach,” Giri said.

According to sources, experts have told the DSDA authorities that a temple taller than 30ft near the sea will not be able to withstand a cyclone as strong as Amphan. The proposed 214ft-high temple, which will be built at Rs 70 crore, will come up on a 14-acre plot near the Digha railway station.

“We have a one-acre plot near the beach. The forest department was supposed to give us four more acres. The temple was to come up on the five acres after clearing off the vegetation,” an official at the DSDA said. However, with the new plan in place, the DSDA will not need any extra land and there will be no deforestation.

“A small temple, which will be identified as Lord Jagannath’s aunt’s temple, will be built on the one-acre plot,” the official added.

In Puri, the Gundicha temple is referred to as the temple of Jagannath’s aunt.

A year has gone by since Mamata had unveiled the plan but there has been no progress.

However, with an eye on the Assembly elections next year, the DSDA has allotted Rs 15 crore for the development of the site where a smaller temple will be built near the beach.
To roll out the project, the development authority had invited tenders on September 4. According to sources, the DSDA plans to set up entertainment centres, restaurants, parking facilities, toilets, paved walkways, and pavilion-like structures close to the temple near the beach for Rs 11.36 crore.

The road leading to the Jagannath temple ghat near the beach will be illuminated and a few 500m-high mast lights will also be installed. The DSDA has also decided to repair the Digha Welcome Gate for Rs 1.45 crore. The gate was damaged during Amphan, said a DSDA official.