Defying initial hiccups of loose sand impairing a robust foundation to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, work on the foundation will finally take off after December 15, exactly two months behind schedule.

The move was green-flagged by the Ram temple construction committee led by chairman Nripendra Mishra, who concluded the two-day brainstorming session at Faizabad Circuit House on Tuesday evening.

Experts from Larsen &Toubro, Tata Consultancy, IIT Madras, IIT Rookie, Akshardham temple architect, Brahm Bihari Swami, and Ram temple architect Ashish Sompura were present at the meeting along with members of the Trust, including secretary Champat Rai. Retired IAS officer and former receiver of Ramjanmabhoomi, Shatrughan Singh, made his debut at the panel meeting on Tuesday. The experts will soon submit their report to the construction committee.

Talking to TOI, Dr Anil Mishra, trustee of Ram temple Trust, confirmed work on laying the temple foundation will begin after December 15 and in the first phase, the outer security wall will be built.

Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri said, said, “We will embark on development work on the outer periphery of the 67-acre Ramjanmabhoomi premises in coordination with the district administration.”

Experts had launched a brainstorming session on ways to jam the foundation pillars with loose sand due to its proximity to the Saryu banks.

Sources said, there were initial fears that sand would not firm up the pillars, which may not be able to take the load of the mammoth structure, which was touted to last 1,000 years by weathering natural calamities, including earthquakes.

However, the construction committee cited the Taj Mahal, which too is built near the Yamuna banks and has sand in the base. “Take the example of Taj Mahal, which is standing without damage on land with loose sand under its ground,” said Dr Anil Mishra, trustee.