Ayodhya, Jan 23 (IANS): The Ram Mandir Trust in Ayodhya claimed on Friday that the hurdle in the way of the construction of the foundation of Ram Mandir has been cleared after the second session of the brainstorming meeting with engineers from Larsen and Tubro and Tata Group at the Faizabad circuit house.

The Trust announced that it has finalised the design for the foundation, which is being prepared in Mumbai and will be ready by February.

Grand puja was performed on Thursday and Friday at the Ram Janambhoomi site to mark the resumption of construction activity which was halted two months back when a water stream of river Saryu was found under its premises.

Talking to IANS, Anil Mishra, one of the trustees, said that digging has started around the sanctum sanctorum and the proposed temple building, and it will take almost 70 days to remove the debris following which work on the base of the temple will start. For the base of the temple, the digging will go 40 feet below the ground level and from that level the base will be built using stones and some other similar materials. A retaining wall will also be built along with the base.

The chairman of the Ram Janmabhoomi Construction Committee, Nripendra Mishra, took part in the grand puja.