Ayodhya Ram Temple: Filling area after removal of debris underway, expected to finish by October, says Trust

The work on excavation at Ram Mandir started in the second half of January and the authorities removed all the debris and the bad soil.

Most of the digging work at the Ram Temple site in Ayodhya has been completed already and now after turning over a large amount of debris at the spot, experts involved in the construction have started filling a large area with roller-compacted concrete after removing a large amount of debris from underground. The work on excavation started in the second half of January and the authorities removed all the debris and the bad soil.

Director of IIT Guwahati, National Geo Research Institute (NGRI), and engineers overlooking the project told the Indian Express that there were lots of debris identified under the ground that needed to be removed before the construction of the main temple.

It was confirmed that there was around 1,20 lakh cubic meter debris that spread over a 12-inch layer that had to be removed before compacting it with rollers for four to five days. An area 400 ft long and 300 ft wide was marked where the work of debris removal started.

According to Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Trust formed to facilitate construction good soil was found only after digging through debris for 45 feet. The filling work was done using admixture, cement, stones, pebbles, stone dust, water etc.

Explaining the filling process, Rai said, a 12-inch layer was first spread and then it was compressed using roller making the filler level 10 inch thick. Another layer is spread in the same way. Since March when the debris removal and the filling process started, four such layers were spread. Rains caused hindrance but never stopped the work completely, he added.

The experts further informed that the work is carried in two shifts daily and all engineers and workers involved are “perfectly healthy”. The process is expected to end by October until which 40 to 45 layers of RCC are laid to ensure a proper foundation of the temple.

Last year in December the experts conducted initial tests to known the condition of the soil in handling earthquake-like situations. Since then they have been looking for alternative ways to ensure the foundation of the temple and its pillars can withstand tits weight.

In April, the Temple Trust informed that they have received over Rs 3500 crore for the construction of Ram Mandir through contact and contribution campaigns. Temple’s Chief Architect Ashish Sompura is expected the basic construction work of the temple to be completed in around three years after which interior decorations can start.