Puri: Those visiting the Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri district will not have to carry a Covid negative certificate from January 21.
Puri Collector Samarth Verma informed this after a review meeting here on Sunday. Verma said arrangements will be made for 30,000 devotees for darshan daily. The administration will take necessary steps in case of more flow of devotees, he added.
Though the devotees will not have to show the COVID-19 negative report, they will have to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines like social distancing, wearing mask and using sanitizers.
The darshan will start from 7 am and Puri residents will be allowed entry from Singhadwara (Lion Gate) on production of their identity card.
On the other hand, special arrangements will be made for senior citizens as well as physically-challenged to allow them a hassle-free and smooth darshan, the Collector said.
However, temple will remain closed for darshan on Sundays to sanitise the premises, he added.
In an earlier order, it was decided not to allow eating of Mahaprasad in the Anand Bazar complex to avoid large congregation inside the temple during the pandemic time.
So far, 1,25,411 devotees have visited the shrine, he added.
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