AYODDHYA: Ram Mandir received a humungous 3.5 lakh visitors just on the first day after the temple opened to the world. The devotees had to wait for long hours after which they tried to push forward the security cordon, which caused concern. Darshan hours are from 7 am to 11.30 am and from 2 pm to 7 pm.

Braving the shivering winter mornings, devotees as many as 10,000 occupied the temple premises from early Tuesday dawn. No vehicles were allowed on the road connecting the temple, minding the congestion. Devotees are allowed only to walk to reach the temple. Even e-rickshaws are not allowed.

Many among the devotees returned without darshan reluctantly, as the crowd swelled up evoking fear of a stampede. Some of the devotees informed Kerala Kaumudi that they would return to see Ram Lalla after the rush plummets a little. The Ram Temple trust predicts the rush to increase in the coming few days.

Uttar Pradesh Police is also making arrangements to control the traffic. Pilgrims are allowed to enter the temple premises in a phased manner controlled by barricades and ropes at various places. Ayodhya Range IG Praveen Kumar informed that more police have been deployed in the area to avoid untoward incidents and control the crowd. Disaster relief forces have also reached the location to prevent any stampede-like situation.