IITs to be roped in for construction of Ram Mandir, says govt-appointed trust

The Ram temple trust is looking to rope in one of the IITs to help with technical work required before the construction starts.

File image of a wooden model of the proposed Ram Mandir in a glass encasement, at the Ram Janmabhomi Nyas-run workshop at Karsevakpuram in Ayodhya | PTI

New Delhi: To ensure that the construction of the new Ram temple in Ayodhya is done on solid ground, the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, set up to oversee the process, will seek help from an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to carry out technical work.

Champat Rai, secretary of the trust, told ThePrint that IIT engineers will check on details such as soil composition, viability, load capacity, etc., before the construction begins.

“Apart from the IITs, no one else can do this work. It is the engineers who will have to do the contouring as it requires expertise. The character of the place, what minerals are there, what is the load bearing capacity of the place, all these things have to be done properly before we start the construction work. We will get in touch with IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Delhi or Roorkee,” he said.

Rai said soil testing of the entire 67 acres of land will be required.

“Soil-testing had taken place earlier, but not of this particular area. The technical process will take some time. This too will be done by an IIT,” he added.

Shifting of Ram Lalla idol soon

Until the temple is fully constructed, the idol of Ram Lalla, considered sacred in Ayodhya, will be moved from its current location — a makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple site.

While a decision on its next temporary destination is yet to be made, Rai said the idol will be moved within the allotted 67 acres.

“Survey of all the police barricades that are currently there has been done. The idol will be shifted soon but in consultation with the (state) administration,” he said.

The issue will be taken up in the next meeting of the trust, which, according to sources, is likely to take place before Ram Navami in April.

Nripendra Misra, who heads the trust’s Ram Temple Complex Development Committee, visited the site last Saturday along with Rai and civil engineering experts.

The trust is also considering setting up facilities for the convenience of public on the Supreme Court-allotted land.