Bhubaneswar, Oct 6 (IANS): The Odisha government on Tuesday said the presiding deities at the Jagannath temple in Puri will not be shifted during repair of the hall facing the sanctum sanctorum.

"The repair work of the Jagamohan (the hall facing the sanctum sanctorum) of the 12th century shrine will commence from the first week of December and will be completed within six months," said state Law Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo.

The minister held a review meeting with the temple administration, and officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) about the temple repair work.

He said shifting of the deities from the sanctum sanctorum to any other place inside the temple complex will not be feasible due to daily rituals.

A platform will be worked out for this purpose after detailed discussion, he said.

The minister said devotees will not be allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum during the repair work and most of the major rituals of the day would be completed before 11 a.m.

He said devotees can pay obeisance from outside the sanctum sanctorum.

A team comprising officials of the ASI and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration will meet the ASI director general in Delhi in the second week of October to discuss the work.