"About 24 Thailand commandos are providing security to the gold boxes kept in the temple premises," Singh said.
The district administration too has deployed additional security to safeguard the gold.
Thailand-based company Kreing Thavorn Containers Co. Ltd. is carrying out the work.
Dorjee said last year Thailand's King Bhumibol Atulya took the decision to cover the dome of the temple with gold.
But it took some time to get clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the work. The ASI officials will also provide technical supervision for the gold inlay work.
A special prayer will be held under the holy Bodhi tree behind the main temple Nov 16 in which around 500 devotees from Thailand, including those who donated gold, are likely to participate, Dorjee said.
According to him, the first phase of the work involving chemical treatment was completed in August to prepare the foundation for gold plating.
"Now stairs have been installed around the temple's dome to enable experts to reach the top of the structure to inlay it with thin gold sheet," he said.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also shown keen interest in the work.
A string of low-intensity bombs exploded in the temple complex in July. But there were no casualties and no damage was caused to the structure.
The ancient 180 feet structure of the Mahabodhi temple is estimated to have been built between the 5th and 6th century AD. It was lost and rediscovered in the 19th century by Alexander Cunningham, who founded the ASI in 1861.
The Mahabodhi temple is the holiest pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from around the world. It marks the place where Lord Gautama is believed to attained his enlightenment, turning him into the Buddha.
