IIT engineers to ensure Ram temple’s structural stability

Engineers from India’s top institutes, including IIT-Delhi and IIT-Mumbai, will work to improve the structural stability of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya to ensure the pillars of the holy building last a thousand years, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Alok Kumar announced on Tuesday.

Kumar said the process of designing the structure’s foundation pillars was stuck because a stream of the Sarayu river was found flowing underneath a portion of the building.

“When the testing of the pillars was carried out, it was found when pressure was applied, they sank by about four inches. Since, the area is already in a seismic zone, we have decided to come up with a structurally safe option,” he said.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra trust is also negotiating to increase the land holding of the complex from the current 70 acres to 108 acres to accommodate a museum, a gathering space and a prayer hall. “We are trying to negotiate with those who own the land around the temple; if they agree to part with the land they will be compensated,” Kumar said.

A proposed mosque complex coming up outside Ayodhya town is also designed to have a hospital, and a museum.

To come up with a safe design for the pillars, members from IIT Delhi, IIT Mumbai, IIT Roorkee, National Building Research Institute (NBRI), Tata Consultancy and Larsen & Toubro will work together, said Kumar.

About 700 tonne of weight was put on the testing pillars to assess their load withstanding capacity. Tests were also conducted to assess their resistance to earthquakes, but cracks were noticed during the tests, Kumar said. The pillars of the Ram Temple are expected to last a thousand years, he added.

VHP, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) authorised by the trust to collect donations for the temple, said it will initiate the process of collection of funds for the temple’s construction on January 15. Kumar said it 525,000 villages will be visited for collection . “Funds will be collected in a transparent way...deposits will be made in branches of Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank,” he said.