Bhubaneshwar: The Odisha government on Tuesday declared Wednesday, January 17, as a 'public holiday,' dedicated ahead of the inauguration of the Shree Jagannath Parikrama Corridor project in Puri.

The official statement by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) ordered all government and private schools, colleges, and offices to remain closed.

As per the statement, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made this announcement to facilitate people's participation.

What is the Shree Jagannath Parikrama Project?

One of the most visited Temples in the country, the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri will soon have its corridor.

The Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor or as officially named, the Shree Mandir Parikrama, is a 75-metre-long heritage corridor around the Jagannath Temple.

It includes parking places, Shree Setu (a bridge), pilgrimage centers, a new road to facilitate the movement of devotees, clean toilets, and other visitors’ amenities such as clock rooms in and around the Jagannath temple.

As per reports, invitations have already been sent to representatives of 90 religious shrines and institutions across the country.