Puri: The valuable items from the Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha, were returned to their treasury on Tuesday, nearly a year after they were removed for structural repairs, according to officials.

During this operation, access to the temple was restricted for devotees, and the entire process took approximately four hours.

Arabinda Padhee, the chief administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), stated, "The transfer of valuables began at 10:55 AM and concluded at 2:55 PM. This was conducted in accordance with the Sri Jagannath Temple Rules of 1960 and the state government's approved guidelines."

After being taken from the treasury, known as 'Ratna Bhandar', last year, the valuables were stored in a temporary strong room located within the temple grounds.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) completed the renovation and conservation of the 'Ratna Bhandar' on July 7.

Padhee mentioned that both chambers of the 'Ratna Bhandar' were secured, with the keys to the inner chamber placed in the district treasury as per protocol.

"All procedures were executed flawlessly and were recorded on video to ensure transparency," he added.

The Ratna Bhandar committee, led by retired High Court judge Biswanath Rath, was present during the shifting process, along with District Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida and SP Prateek Singh.

District police, ODRAF, fire services, and other agencies were on standby throughout the operation.