A 221-metre bronze statue of Lord Ram will be installed by the Uttar Pradesh government in Ayodhya, state Principal Secretary (Information) Avanish Awasthi said on Saturday. While the height of the actual statue would be 151 metres, its overhead umbrella would be 20 metres while the pedestal would be 50 metres, he said. A museum would be housed at the pedestal, Awasthi added.
According to the officer, five firms shortlisted for construction of the statue had handed over presentations to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday evening.
Soil testing is underway for installing the statue, he said.
In a recent development, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is all set to hold rallies across the country commencing Sunday, in an effort to mount pressure on the government for bringing a law to construct a grand Ram Temple.
Three rallies in Ayodhya, Nagpur and Bengaluru have been planned by the VHP, which will be followed by a grand rally in Delhi on December 9.
The party has also planned to start a nation-wide movement from December 18.
The the 'Dharam Sabha' in Ayodhya is its last effort to clear hurdles for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the VHP had said while addressing the media on Friday.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray had also arrived in Ayodhya along with his family on Saturday and had urged the Modi government to announce the date and bring in an ordinance or legislation for the construction of Ram Temple.
"Days months, years and generations have passed. First say, when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later", Thackeray dared Modi-government.
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