Ram Mandir Trust purchases 1.15 lakh square feet of land in Ayodhya

Ayodhya, Mar 20: The Sriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has purchased about 1.15 lakh square feet of land about 2-3 km away from Ram Janmabhoomi premises to develop facilities for security forces, devotees and for activities of the trust, an official of the trust said on Saturday.

Trustee Anil Mishra said two plots of land situated in Ram Kot and Tehri Bazaar localities were purchased last week from Harish Kumar Pathak, a resident of Basti district.

The land has been bought at the rate of Rs 690 per square feet, he said.

"We have paid a sum of Rs 8 crore to the owner for the two plots," he said.

A survey is underway of properties adjoining the Ram Janmabhoomi premises for expansion of the temple land and a list is being prepared to ascertain their ownership. These properties include some Muslim houses and mosques.

Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay said the survey is being carried out to find out the owners of these properties. "This will help to find out whether those residing here are tenants or owners of houses," he said.

Trust secretary Champat Rai said the expansion of Ram Janmabhoomi premises will be done with mutual understanding and dialogue.

"We will purchase the land by paying the demanded price or we can give them an alternate land for the resettlement," he said, adding the extension is being done to provide devotees the basic facilities.

In the first week of March, the trust purchased 7,285 square feet land adjacent to the Ram Janmabhoomi premises here, in accordance with its plan to expand the temple complex area to 107 acres from the present 70 acres.

The trust bought the land for Rs 1 crore.