Panel to oversee development of 65-acre land on Ram Janmabhoomi campus

The Ram Mandir construction committee on Tuesday decided to constitute a separate committee headed by Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj to oversee development of 65-acre land on the Ram Janmabhoomi campus where the temple will be constructed.

Govind Dev Giri is the treasurer of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The committee will work under the Ram Mandir construction committee.

The Ram Janmabhoomi campus comprises 67.77 acre land. Out of this, in the 2.77-acre land stands the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Nripendra Misra, chairman of Ram Mandir construction committee, on Monday presided over a meeting in Ayodhya to review test reports related to laying of foundation pillars of Ram Mandir. It will continue on Tuesday also.

“A separate committee will be constituted to oversee development work of the rest of the 65-acre land at Ram Janmabhoomi. Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj will head this committee,” Dr Anil Mishra, a member of the trust, told mediapersons after the meeting.

“This committee will have architects, engineers and experts of Tata Consulting Engineers. It will also review suggestions received by the Trust related to the development work of the 65-acre campus of the Ram Janmabhoomi,” Mishra said.

On the issue of sand being found below the surface while testing foundation pillars of Ram Mandir, Mishra said: “The surface (on which foundation will stand) will be made strong. We are discussing all aspects with experts.”

Earlier in the day, Nripendra Misra, along with engineers of Larsen and Toubro, Tata Consulting Engineers and members of the Trust, inspected the ongoing foundation laying work of the Ram Mandir.

Trust wants to expedite the work which got delayed due to the pandemic. On September 11 this year, the Trust had started the work for testing the foundation pillars. Around 1,200 pillars will be laid 100 feet below the surface to prepare the temple’s foundation. In technical terms, this process is called piling.