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Published 21:18 IST, July 26th 2020

Ahead of Bhoomi Pujan, NHAI approves civil, beautification works of Rs 55 cr for Ayodhya

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had approved civil and beautification works for Ayodhya to the tune of Rs 55 crores.

Reported by: Prachi Mankani
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Ahead of the 'Bhoomi-Pujan' which will mark the start of construction at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple site in Ayodhya, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had approved civil and beautification works for Ayodhya to the tune of Rs 55 crores. According to sources, NHAI headquarters had directed to call two separate bids for each, civil and beautification works, in the Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) mode for Rs 40 crores, and Rs 15 crores respectively.

The Regional Office (RO) awarded civil works tender for Rs 35 crores was nearly 30 percent of the works have been completed as of today. Further, bids have also been invited for beautification works at Ayodhya underpass which will open shortly on July 29, 2020.

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READ: AIMIM MP questions PM Modi's Ayodhya visit amid COVID; slams shutting of religious places

Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan: PM Modi to attend

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple slated to be built in Ayodhya on August 5. The Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra has invited 150 guests - including Shiv Sena Supremo Uddhav Thackeray, BJP veterans L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and social distancing norms will be followed. The trust has estimated that construction of the temple will be completed in 3-3.5 years i.e by 2023- the year of the Uttar Pradesh State polls. Approximately, 200 people will attend the event.

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Larsen & Toubro (L&T), which will construct the temple will use Sompura Marbles and have started collecting soil samples to begin foundation work. As per L&T's design drawing, the temple is set to be constructed over two floors -spanning 161ft in length, 140ft in width, and 128 ft in height, comprising of 5 domes. The trust is planning to contact 10 Crore families across 4 Lakh localities of the country for fund collection. In November 2019, the Supreme Court had ended the seven-decade long land dispute, awarding the Ram Janmabhoomi land to the Hindu parties and offering an alternated land to the Muslim parties.

READ: 'Recite Hanuman Chalisa 5 times a day till Ayodhya pooja; get rid of Covid': Sadhvi Pragya

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Ram Mandir Trust formation & meetings 

Prime Minister Modi had announced the formation of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in the Lok Sabha on February 5, with his own former Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra heading the construction committee. The committee has met several times and has invited the PM to lay the foundation stone when the construction begins. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on March 25 performed special puja and shifted Ram Lalla from the makeshift temple in Ayodhya to another a pre-fabricated temple in the same premises.

READ: 'Open temples in Maharashtra during Ayodhya Bhoomi Poojan on August 5: BJP to CM Uddhav

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READ: UP CM Adityanath reviews preparations in Ayodhya ahead of Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan on Aug 5

(with inputs from ANI)

21:17 IST, July 26th 2020