Ram temple trust pulls out all stops to meet Jan 2024 deadline - Hindustan Times
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Ram temple trust pulls out all stops to meet Jan 2024 deadline

Oct 17, 2022 04:49 PM IST

The Trust has revved up work at the five workshops to ensure the opening of the Ram temple between December 2023 and January 15, 2024

LUCKNOW: Nearly 1,200 artisans at five workshops of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust are working overtime to carve red sandstones sourced from Rajasthan’s Bansi Paharpur mines for the superstructure of the temple.

Construction underway at the site of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, in Ayodhya on Wednesday. (ANI)
Construction underway at the site of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, in Ayodhya on Wednesday. (ANI)

“I have been waiting for the day when Ram temple will finally come up in Ayodhya and devotees will queue up to offer prayers,” said Bache Lal, 65, one of the artisans busy at work at the Ram Sewak Puram workshop run by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Ayodhya.

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“Now, this day will arrive soon”, added Bache Lal who belongs to Chitrakoot district.

The Trust has revved up the workforce at its five karyashalas (workshops) — three at Bansi Paharpur in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan and two at Ayodhya — to ensure the opening of the Ram temple anytime between December 2023 and January 15, 2024.

“Over 50% of the construction work of Ram temple has neared completion,” chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Thursday at a function organised by Shri Panchkhand Peeth in Rajasthan.

According to Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram temple construction Committee, around 1,200 artisans are working at the five workshops to carve red sandstones for the superstructure (main structure), the construction of which has begun.

“Construction work of the Ram temple is going on according to the plan. It is likely to be completed by December 2023,” said Acharya Satyendra Das, head priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi.

Ram Lalla is likely to be enthroned at the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple by December 2023 or on January 15, 2024, to coincide with Makar Sankranti.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is most likely to attend the grand opening ceremony of the temple. He presided over the temple’s bhoomi pujan on August 5, 2020.

“The Trust is racing against time and mobilising all resources to complete construction work of Ram temple in Ayodhya before the Election Commission of India blows the bugle for the 2024 general election,” said Durga Pandey, a resident of Naya ghat, Ayodhya.

The superstructure comprising the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is coming up on 6.5 metre-high plinth that can bear the load of the superstructure.

Around 17,000 granite block stones measuring 5ft x 2.5ft x 3ft each have been used for constructing the plinth using interlocking stones’ technology.

The plinth is the lowest part of a building; the base for any structure. It is in the form of a rectangular block or slab.

Nripendra Misra comes to Ayodhya every month from New Delhi to review the progress of the construction work and presides over meetings at which engineers report on the progress made over the 30-day period.

The Ram temple construction committee, along with the Trust, looks after the construction work. The trust takes care of all other aspects of the construction work, including finance.

“Finally, the Ram temple is coming up in Ayodhya after several decades of hard work and legal battle. Devotees of Lord Ram all across the world are waiting eagerly to pay obeisance to Ram Lalla at his birthplace, Ram Janmabhoomi,” said Raju Das, priest of Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya.

NIRC experts monitor stone quality

The quality of stones and carving is being supervised by experts of the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRC) Bangalore which has been engaged to ensure stone quality at the

workshops in Rajasthan. M/S CB Sompura and implementing agencies Larsen and Toubro and Tata Consulting Engineers are also keeping an eye on the quality.

4.75 lakh cubic stones to be used

According to Champat Rai, the Trust’s general secretary, around 4.75 lakh cubic feet of Bansi Paharpur stones would be used in the superstructure (main structure).

Around 40% of the stone pillars have been carved and are ready to install.

The Trust has decided to procure white Makrana marble stone from Rajasthan for the sanctum sanctorum, flooring, arches, railings and door frames.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party has planned to showcase the Ram Mandir in the 2024 general election as another poll promise fulfilled by it,” says a VHP leader who operates from Karsevakpuram in Ayodhya.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Pawan Dixit has been a journalist for over a decade. He has extensively covered eastern UP for around five years, covered 2012 UP assembly polls, 2014 Lok Sabha polls while being stationed in Varanasi. Now, in Lucknow, he covers outstation political assignments, reports special cases from district court, high court and state information commission

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