Abu Dhabi: The construction of the first traditional Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates is underway and likely to be completed by 2023, reports said.
The foundation works will reach completion by the end of this month, Khaleej Times said in a report.
The temple is being constructed at a cost of 45 crore dirhams (about Rs. 888 crores) in Abu Dhabi on behalf of Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a resident of Bochasan. The temple has an area of 27 acres on Abu Muraikhah of Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Baps Hindu Mandir project engineer Ashok Kondetti said the foundation was in the final stages of construction. The foundation is constructed at a height of 4.5 m from the floor. The construction of two underground chambers is also in progress. The temple will have seven huge towers representing the seven emirates of the UAE. The construction reflects the heritage of India and the Arab world.
“I am monitoring the quality and progress of this project. I feel very blessed to be a part of this project. This is a one-time opportunity,” said Ashok.
“In this foundation, we have two tunnels. For those tunnels, stones have been received from India and the placing will start by next week. The total foundation work will be complete by the end of April so we can start the actual stonework in the month of May,” he added.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the UAE, had given 20,000 square meters of land to build a temple.
It was announced by the UAE government in 2015 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a two-day visit. The foundation stone of the temple was laid by PM Modi during his tour of Dubai in 2018 through video conferencing from the opera house there.
In another video released in January, the temple management showed how artisans are shaping amazing stone pillars in India.
The temple will have seven spiers and five domes. The complex will have a meeting center, prayer hall, library, classroom, community center, halls, amphitheater, play area, gardens, books and gift shops, food court and other facilities.
