Ram temple trust temporarily restores old ID cards, entry passes signed by Champat Rai

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has temporarily restored the validity of identity cards and entry passes bearing the signature of former general secretary Champat Rai to ensure construction and maintenance work at the Ram temple is not disrupted, temple sources said.

Under the interim arrangement, authorised employees, engineers and technical officers will be allowed to enter the temple complex using the old cards until a new pass system is introduced.

The move follows the recent suspension of entry for cards signed by Rai after changes in the trust’s leadership. Engineers and employees working with agencies involved in the temple project, including L&T, Tata, India Engineers Limited and Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam, were reportedly denied access.

Temple sources said the restrictions had begun affecting the supervision and coordination of ongoing projects, including the construction of the boundary wall, museum, trust office and rest house.

The administrative changes at the trust followed a controversy over the alleged misappropriation of gold and silver ornaments donated by devotees. The Uttar Pradesh government subsequently formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and an FIR was registered, leading to multiple arrests.

The controversy also resulted in Champat Rai stepping down as general secretary, while Anil Mishra resigned from the trust.

A new entry pass system is expected to be introduced after the administrative transition is completed.