COVID-19: Places Of Worship In Bhubaneswar To Reopen From Aug 23

Bhubaneswar: Ending the long wait of devotees, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has announced to reopen places of worship in the capital city from August 23.

Issuing guidelines for the reopening of places of worship, the Corporation stated that more than 25 people are forbidden to gather at any religious institution. At Lingaraj temple alone 100 people can be allowed from the Singhadwara to Ada Katha at a time.

The temples should operate under strict supervision of COVID-19 protocols like maintaining social distance and wear masks on the premises of religious institutions.

The guidelines are issued by BMC are as follows:

• All the temples of Bhubaneswar within the jurisdiction of BMC will reopen with strict observance of COVID-19 safety protocols. However, no devotee shall be allowed inside the ‘Garbha gruha’ of the temple and will be allowed ‘Darshan’ from a safe distance only. There shall be no offerings like bhoga etc in the temple. As per specific instruction of the State Government, the Shree Lingaraj Temple Administration. Bhubaneswar can take appropriate decision for opening of their temple on or after August 23.
• At Lord Lingaraj Temple at any point of time maximum of 100 devotees will be allowed from Singhadwara to Ada- Katha. The Sahan darshan/Garbha gruha darshan is completely prohibited. Similarly no offering to the Lord shall be accepted by the Sebayats and only Darshan will be allowed. BMC will do the necessary barricading outside the temple and handover to the Police for control and restriction on the movement of the public.
• Similarly all other religious institutions like Mosque/Church/Gurudwara will also be allowed to open from August 23.
• The religious institution authorities shall ensure devotees shall maintain social distancing of 6 feet among them. In no case social distancing norms should be allowed to be violated.
• At any point of time not more than 25 persons will be allowed to be congregated at any religious institutions like Temple/Mosque/Church/Gurudwara.
• All Temple/Mosque/Church/Gurudwara authority shall ensure RT-PCR testing of their priests/sebayats and only RT-PCR negative and Final COVID vaccination certificate holder will be allowed to perform rituals. The Priests/Sebayats shall have to put on mask at all times as per COVID protocol.
• All devotees will have to wear mask and maintain social distancing of six feet from each other appropriately at all times.
• The Temple/Mosque/Church/Gurudwara authorities shall make provision for hand washing/hand sanitizer for the devotees at the entry and exit points.
• Spitting inside and outside the premises and chewing of PAN /Ghutka is strictly prohibited.
• The person with SARI/ ILl like symptoms shall not be allowed inside. Other vulnera.ble group of people such as person with co-morbidities. old age persons. pregnant women or children below 18 years of age are advised not to visit religious institutions.
• The above guidelines shall be followed scrupulously by all concerned until further order. Any deviation will attract withdrawal of this permission for that institution