Shree Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust constituted to oversee the construction and management of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, held a meeting in Delhi, on Thursday, ANI reported.

The trust announced that the construction of the temple has begun. Engineers are now testing soil at the temple site. The construction of the temple will be completed in 36 to 40 months.

“The Mandir will be built by adhering to India’s ancient and traditional construction techniques,” the trust said in a statement. It’ll be built in such a way so as to sustain earthquakes, storms and other natural calamities. “Iron won’t be used in the construction of the Mandir,” it said.

Copper plates that are 18 inches long, 30 mm wide & 3 mm in depth, will be used to fuse stone blocks with each other. About 10,000 plates would be required for the construction, for which it has called upon the followers to donate such plates.

“Donors can engrave family names, place of origin or their community temples’ names on these plates,” the statement read.

“This way, the copper plates will not only symbolize the unity of this country but also be a testament to the entire country’s contribution towards Mandir construction,” it added.

In a unanimous judgement in November, last year, the Supreme Court paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya. It ordered the central government to form a trust to oversee the temple’s construction. 

The 15-member trust was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on February 5.