Ayodhya, Sep 24 (IANS): The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is preparing the list of 2,500 prominent people who will be invited to the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya in January next.

This list comprises people from the sports fraternity, former Army personnel and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, besides family members of those who died during the Ram Mandir movement and representatives of prominent temples of the country.

The list will also include prominent members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community among others who will be invited for the mega ceremony. These invitees will be in addition to the 4,000 saints from across the country who will be invited to the event, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has issued an appeal to the heads of various sects to come to Ayodhya in February, instead of January, when the opening ceremony of the Ram Mandir will take place, due to harsh winter conditions.

Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust, issued the appeal and also urged saints to cooperate with the Trust and the Special Protection Group (SPG) deployed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security.

Rai asked the saints not to carry any metal item along with them to the venue. He also said due to security reasons, vehicles will not be permitted beyond a point and saints will have to walk to the venue.

The saints will have to wait for around three to four hours before they can enter the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple, he said.