Bhubaneswar, Dec. 8 -- Pilgrims arriving in Puri continue to face severe accommodation challenges as the construction of a government-supported dharmasala remains incomplete well past its deadline. The absence of affordable lodging has intensified hardships for devotees travelling from distant regions, prompting intellectual circles to question the prolonged delay and the timeline for the project's completion.

Under the Abadha scheme, a dharmasala with the capacity to house 2,500 devotees is being constructed near the Baselisahi police station. The Puri District Collector has assured that the work will be completed soon.

Thousands of devotees visit Srimandir each day for darshan of Lord Jagannath and traditionally rely on mutts and dhar...