Ram temple completion delayed by 3 months due to worker shortage, stone replacement
Ayodhya (PTI): The Ram temple in Ayodhya, initially scheduled for completion by June 2025, will now likely be finished by September 2025, said Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the construction committee.
Mishra cited a shortage of around 200 workers and the need to replace certain stones on the temple's first floor as primary reasons for the delay.
"Currently, we are facing a labour shortage, causing delays in construction," he said on Friday.
"The complete construction is now expected by September 2025 instead of June 2025," added Mishra, chairman of the Temple Construction Committee.
He said while 8.5 lakh cubic feet of red 'Bansi Paharpur' stones have been readied for the temple boundary and delivered to Ayodhya but construction has slowed due to the reduced workforce.
In addition to the worker shortage, Mishra noted that some stones on the first floor appeared "weak and thin" and will be replaced with 'Makrana' stones to ensure durability.
A recent two-day meeting of the temple construction committee also reviewed the status of other structures associated with the temple, including the auditorium, boundary, and circumambulation path, all of which remain under construction.
Mishra said that statues for the temple, including those for Lord Ram's court and six surrounding temples, are in production in Jaipur and are expected to arrive in Ayodhya by December.
"The sculptor has assured us that all statues will be completed by year-end," he stated, adding that final decisions regarding their placement within the temple complex will follow. Two statues of Ram Lalla, already accepted by the temple trust, are also set to be installed in prominent locations.
Discussions continue on improving visitor flow, specifically addressing a smoother exit route for devotees after visiting the Janmabhoomi path.
Mishra acknowledged the crowding issues and emphasised that these considerations are part of the planning process to enhance accessibility for visitors.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
