Ayodhya: Ram Mandir entrances to be equipped with boom barriers

AYODHYA: Boom barriers, bollards, and CCTV cameras are among the security equipment that will be installed in all the entrances of Ram Janmobhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya for the January 22 event, an official said on Thursday.

Boom barriers, also known as tyre killers, are devices that prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering a property. They can be used to block roadways and entrances to hotels and offices.

The General Manager of Uttar Pradesh Government Construction Corporation, CK Srivastava, said that the equipment would help to foil any intruding attempt during the grand event, which would be attended by lakhs of people, including VVIPs and many prominent figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"For the security of the temple of Lord Ram Lalla, we have installed many types of security equipment. An under-vehicle scanner has been installed on the road. As soon as any vehicle on the road passes over Janmabhoomi Path, the vehicle will be immediately scanned from inside. If it is carrying any item not allowed inside, then the vehicle will be stopped," he said.

Apart from this, we have installed boom barriers, bollards, and tyre killers to foil any intruding attempt.

"If a vehicle hits the boom barrier, our bollard will automatically come up from ground level within three seconds along with tyre killers. "Then the security personnel would nab the intruder," he said, adding that a provision has been made to install this type of equipment in all the entrances of Ram Temple.

Speaking about the CCTV cameras, he said, "CCTVs have been mounted everywhere. And a command control centre has been made in yellow zones and red zones, which store the feed of all the cameras in the entire city."

"We have the feed of the past 90 days recorded in the city," he added.

As per temple officials, the consecration ceremony will be held over a span of seven days starting on January 16.

On January 16, the host appointed by the temple trust, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, will conduct the atonement ceremony. The 'Dashvidh' bath, Vishnu worship, and offering of cow will be held on the banks of the Saryu River.

Following that, on January 17, a procession carrying the idol of Lord Ram in his child-like form (Ram Lalla) will reach Ayodhya. Devotees carrying Saryu water in Mangal Kalash will be reaching the Ram Janmabhoomi temple.

On January 18, formal rituals will kick off with the Ganesh Ambika puja, Varun puja, Matrika puja, Brahmin Varan, and Vastu Puja.

On January 19, the holy fire will be lit, followed by the establishment of 'Navagraha' and a 'havan' (holy ritual surrounding the fire).

The sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple will be washed with Saryu water on January 20, after which the Vaastu Shanti and 'Annadhivas' rituals will take place.

On January 21, the Ram Lalla idol will be bathed in 125 urns and will finally be laid to rest. On the final day, January 22, after the morning puja, the deity of Ram Lala will be consecrated in 'Mrigashira Nakshatra' in the afternoon.

Speaking about the Ram Temple, Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said on Thursday that the long wait of 450 years has come to an end and the much-dreamt-of Ram Temple has come to completion.

"The long wait of 450 years has come to an end, and the grand Ram Temple that many generations of Indians had imagined or dreamed of has come to completion," Thakur said.

He said that people from every corner of the country who want to visit the Grand Ram temple will start coming after the consecration day and that devotees should come only after receiving proper information.

"Those who have received the invitation on January 22 must go for darshan, and after that, as soon as the temple opens to the public, people must come for darshan. There should not be much crowd on the first day because there will be an event there. No one should be inconvenienced. People should go to Ayodhya for the darshan of Lord Shri Ram only after getting information," he said.

Speaking about the projects undertaken by the Narendra Modi government in the field of religious tourism, the Union Minister said, "In the last 10 years, the Modi government has opened the Kartarpur Corridor, built the ropeway to Hemkund Sahib, and constructed the Buddhist Circuit. After the divine and grand Somnath Dham, Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Kedarnath Dham, and Mahakal Lok, now the divine and grand Ayodhya Dham has been constructed."

"When crores of people come here to have darshan of Lord Ram, then the construction of Ayodhya Dham, which is going on, will help. The railway junction there is named after Lord Ram. A new airport has been completed so that people can commute conveniently," he added.