Even as the Odisha Government is making efforts to boost temple tourism in the State by allocating more than Rs 500 crore to the Tourism Department to create top-class infrastructures, the utter neglect of basic infrastructure of the Buddhanath Temple at Garedipatana village in Balipatna on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar has raised many an eyebrow. Though the State Archaeology Department has declared the Buddhanath Temple as a protected monument and conservation of the temple has been taken up with 14th Finance Commission funds, connectivity to the shrine still remains a major problem. The 1,500-metre stretch of the road from the Balipatna bazaar to the historical Buddhanath Temple is in a pitiable condition.

Hundreds of devotees, students and locals of Garedipatna and adjacent villages, who are dependent on this access road for commuting to schools and college, markets and other destinations daily, are facing hardship for years.  In the rainy season, the situation turns still worse and negotiating this stretch is a nightmare.It is a matter of regret that locals’ repeated pleadings for the last 15 years for repair or relaying of a motorable road to Ministers, the local MLA and other political leaders and the Khordha district Collector have fallen on deaf ears.

Local Sarpanch Soumya Ranjan Mohanty had recently raised the issue in the Balipatna Panchayat Samiti meeting. Locals also complained at the Collector’s Grievance Cell at the block office, but the net result is again zero.

This has triggered deep resentment in the area and locals are bracing up to embark on a stir for fulfillment of their longstanding demand. They question that with this kind of reticent attitude, how the face of tourism in the State can be transformed as envisioned by the Government.