Ayodhya (UP): Ram Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Mishra on Sunday said the cumulative cost of the Ram temple and an upcoming Ram Katha museum would be Rs 1,600 crore to 1,800 crore.
He said the temple construction is likely to be completed by August 15.
“I can’t give the exact amount, but say, expenses of the temple and the museum would be between Rs 1,600 crore and Rs 1,800 crore, of which Rs 100 crore would be for the museum,” Mishra told mediapersons in Ayodhya on Sunday.
Mishra, who arrived here on Friday, held a series of meetings to discuss the completion of the temple construction as well as the museum, which he hoped would be ready in the next six to eight months.
Mishra said they were checking with the construction agencies about their bills, and if all payments have been made to vendors.
“As far as the museum is concerned, our goal this time was to finalise the script and the allocation for various galleries. We discussed the amenities to be provided for visitors,” he said.
Mishra said a souvenir shop and a rest area with facilities such as a coffee corner have already been constructed.
“Detailed discussions were held about these amenities. We deliberated on whether to implement an entry ticket system or keep it free. The final decision rests with the temple Trust,” Mishra said.
He said a plan to create a gallery that depicts Lord Ram’s connection with the country’s rivers has also been finalised.
“The focus is on illustrating how he was connected to these, his journeys, the places he visited and the meetings he had along the way. The objective is to create a gallery using immersive technology,” he said.
“There will be a script narrating the story of how Lord Ram visited various rivers, starting from the Saryu River and concluding at Guptar Ghat, which marks the final chapter of the tale. This aspect has been finalised following discussions. It has been finalised that Lord Ram will be the central figure. We will tell the story of his journey into the forest, highlighting the places where he halted and the messages he conveyed. This, too, was finalised on Saturday. All in all, I am very satisfied with the progress of the museum,” Mishra said.
Another part of the meeting focused primarily on addressing all matters related to construction, specifically the financial aspects, such as audits and accounts, to review how the finalisation is proceeding and how the accounts are being settled.
“A crucial requirement in this process is handing over an asset register to the Trust. This register contains comprehensive details: the nature of the construction, the expenditure incurred and any specific precautions that are needed,” he said, adding that these matters were reviewed and people concerned assured him that work on this will be completed by July 30.
Referring to the flame that will burn 24X7 (in the temple being developed as a memorial), Mishra said the design for the “jwala” (flame) has been finalised on Saturday, and work on it will commence within the next 15 days.
On the Ram Katha museum, Mishra said, “The scriptwriting for the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya is now complete. The work regarding the specific galleries has been finalised. The plan for integrating technology with the scripts is also complete. Based on this, the Detailed Project Report will be prepared within a month, and simultaneously, tenders for each gallery will be issued.”
“I believe that if work proceeds at this pace, the museum will be completed within the next six to eight months,” he said.
Regarding the completion of the construction work at the temple, Mishra said, “I think that all construction work within the complex will be completed by August 15, and L&T and TCE will wrap up their work here. Only one representative from each agency will remain to oversee operations.”
