LUCKNOW: Even as Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram temple construction committee, oversaw the construction activity on Tuesday, the trust faces a peculiar challenge.
The Rajasthan government has reportedly banned the extraction of the stone from the Banshipahadpur quarry of Bharatpur.
Sources said the trust was about to place an order for 4.5 lakh cubic feet stone worth Rs 36 crore.
The stone, costing around Rs 800 per cubic feet, is needed for the pillars to be placed in the foundation of the temple.
Sources said the Bharatpur administration has cited the royalty issue over stone quarrying — last year, it received royalty to the tune of Rs 28 crore.
As per norms, unless the authorities are promised a higher royalty than the previous season, they cannot lift the restrictions, said a source.
However, elsewhere in Rajasthan, traders were allowed to extract the stone. Experts said the pink stone is best for constructing architectural structures which can withstand the vagaries of nature for centuries.
Several structures such as the Parliament House, Red Fort, Buland Darwaza and Akshardham temple bear testimony to the strength of this stone.
On Tuesday, Misra, former principal secretary to PM inspected temple premises.