NEW DELHI: The construction of Ram Mandir is likely to start from
Makar Sankranti next year and is unlikely to involve a fresh ‘shilanyas’ (ground breaking ceremony).
Sources said the government is likely to move fast to comply with the Supreme Court’s directives for setting up a trust, and will coordinate with all the stakeholders to speed up construction of what has been promised to be a “grand Ram Mandir”. “Sankranti is an auspicious time to start the project and we expect the government will complete the formalities by then,” a senior functionary said.
Read also: What's common between Somnath and Ayodhya? Sources also said they expect good progress by 2022 when UP will go to polls. UP CM
Yogi Adityanath is sure to pull out all stops for the Mandir project which has been a key objective of the Goraksh Peeth he heads.
Read also: Will install idol only after shrine is constructed, says head priest The VHP on Sunday said the Centre should take swift action on the apex court judgment and demanded the structure be built as per the design prepared by architect Chandrakant
Sompura
on its request.
Renowned temple architect Sompura was asked to prepare the design in 1989 by then VHP chief
Ashok Singhal
and it was circulated among devotees across the country, organisation’s working president Alok Kumar said. “We expect the new temple to be build accordingly,” he added.
According to VHP office-bearers, work on carving stones and building pillars for the temple has progressed a lot and these should be used in the construction. In a special meeting of VHP office-bearers here, it was decided to urge the government to take swift action in building temple.
Kumar said they are expecting that while setting up the Supreme Court mandated trust, the government will incorporate members of the existing Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, who had been looking after preparations for temple construction so far. “Once the trust is formed, which has to be done within three months, temple construction will start immediately,” a senior functionary, privy to the developments, said.
While Adityanath will be in the forefront of overseeing construction work as chief minister, he was a frequent visitor to Ayodhya after taking over. Yogi visited the holy town 18 times in two-and-a-half years. His last visit was to celebrate “Deepotsava” on the occasion of
Diwali, which has been celebrated in a grand way since he took over as CM.
“The SC decision has removed the hurdles and paved the way for construction of a grand temple ,” he said after the verdict.
The CM welcomed the verdict, saying a 492-year-old dispute had been ended in a peaceful manner, strengthening India’s
democracy
.
In a blog on his official portal, he wrote, “Due to political interests, some outfits had, under a conspiracy, turned Ayodhya into a very sensitive issue. However, Ayodhya was solely a matter of faith. Everyone Indian who believes in a supreme power, irrespective of their faith, considers Ram to be their ancestor.”
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