The sanctum sanctorum of Ayodhya’s Ram temple began leaking after heavy rainfall, five months post its inauguration, as stated by its chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das on Monday. He criticized the construction’s negligence, citing a lack of provisions for rainwater drainage following Saturday midnight showers, urging swift corrective action by temple authorities. Upon notification, Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the temple construction committee, directed repairs to waterproof the roof.
Mishra, addressing reporters separately, mentioned ongoing first-floor work slated for completion by July and expressed optimism for finishing the temple by December.
Acharya Satyendra Das highlighted significant leakage during Saturday’s midnight downpour, directly above the area where he and VIPs conduct rituals before Ram Lalla’s idol. He expressed surprise at such issues persisting despite national-level engineering involvement in the temple’s construction, inaugurated on January 22.
Meanwhile, the Congress accused the ruling BJP of corruption in both the temple’s construction and Ayodhya’s civic projects. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai criticized the lack of proper drainage systems after Chief Priest Satyendra Das’s remarks about water leaking in the sanctum sanctorum due to initial rains. Rai further alleged mismanagement in BJP-led initiatives, citing road collapses on the Rampath, built at a cost of Rs 624 crore, as proof of rushed and substandard construction for electoral gain.
The temple’s roof leaking after five months has sparked criticism of construction oversight, while political allegations of corruption add further controversy to Ayodhya’s ongoing developments.
