The sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya experienced water leakage following the first heavy showers since its public opening, as reported by the temple’s chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das on Monday.
Alleging construction negligence, Acharya Das highlighted the absence of proper drainage systems to manage the rainwater from Saturday midnight’s downpour, urging the temple authorities to implement necessary corrective measures.
In response to the leak, senior officials, including Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the temple construction committee, were promptly informed. Mishra visited the temple and directed immediate repairs and waterproofing of the roof, according to temple trust sources.
Providing an update on the Ram Mandir construction, Mishra told reporters that the first floor’s construction is ongoing and is expected to be completed by July this year, with the entire temple slated for completion by December.
Acharya Satyendra Das detailed the leakage to reporters, stating, “There was heavy leakage from the roof of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum during the first heavy showers at midnight on Saturday. Rainwater was leaking directly above the place where the priest sits in front of Ram Lalla’s idol and where people come for VIP darshan. It is very surprising that engineers from all over the country are building the Ram mandir. The temple was inaugurated on January 22, but no one knew that if it rains, the roof will leak. It is surprising that the roof of a world-famous temple is leaking. Why did this happen? Such an incident is happening in the presence of such big engineers, which is very wrong.”
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The heavy rains on Saturday night also caused severe waterlogging along the Rampath road and its adjoining lanes. Sewer water entered homes in the area, and the Rampath road, along with other newly constructed roads in Ayodhya, caved in at several locations. Locals reported waterlogging from Jalwanpura to Hanumangarhi Bhaktipath and from Tedhi Bazaar to inner areas.
Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi responded to the sewer water issue, stating, “I have started damage control since morning. I have deployed several teams of the municipality to remove water from the houses.” Efforts to obtain comments from top officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the Congress party accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of corruption in both the temple’s construction and the development of civic facilities in Ayodhya.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai alleged, “Be it the coffin of the martyrs or the temple of God, all these have become opportunities for corruption for the BJP. Even the symbols of faith and purity in the country are just opportunities of loot for them.”
Rai further stated, “It has become clear from the statement of chief priest Satyendra Das that water is leaking in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple built at a cost of crores due to the first rain and there is no proper drainage system. Not only this, the mask of the BJP, which was beating the drum of development of Ayodhya, has come off with the road collapsing at many places on the Rampath built at a cost of Rs 624 crore.”
He accused the BJP of transforming Ayodhya into a “hub of corruption by getting second-rate construction done in a hurry only to gain electoral benefits,” and asserted that the BJP has only brought injustice to the locals by failing to provide them with proper compensation.
