Bhubaneswar, July 13 -- Several high-value heritage and tourism projects launched to showcase Odisha's Jajpur's rich religious and historical legacy remain incomplete despite crores of rupees being spent over the past few years. From the uninstalled idol of Maa Biraja to the unfinished statue of King Yayati Keshari and the long-delayed 183-foot meditation statue of Lord Shiva, several landmark projects are yet to be opened to the public, triggering disappointment among residents and devotees.

One of the most significant pending projects is the Maa Biraja idol, which has been lying unattended near the Mission Shakti Cafe since 2023. Constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 1 crore under the Biraja Project, the idol was designed to de...