Unlocking Of Bhubaneswar Shrines: Vaccination Certificate Mandatory For Devotees; Check Other Guidelines

Bhubaneswar: A day after religious institutions in the Odisha capital opened their gates to devotees, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday made vaccination certificates mandatory for gaining access into the shrines.

According to BMC notification, the decision was taken considering the current pandemic situation and vaccine coverage in the city. “A person producing the hard copy of a soft copy in mobile will be enough for allowing him/her inside the institutions,” it said.

The BMC enforcement team will also conduct frequent checks to ensure strict adherence to the COVID guidelines. Any institutions found violating these provisions will not be allowed to function, it added.

On the first day, most shrines in the city witnessed low footfall. Lingaraj Temple and ISKCON temple will reopen on September 1.

According to the guidelines, no devotee will be allowed inside the Garva Griha of the temple. There will be no offering of diyas and bhogs. At Lingaraj Temple, a maximum of 100 devotees will be allowed for darshan from Singhadwar to Adakatha at a time. Sahan darshan and Garvagruha darshan will be completely prohibited.

The religious institution authorities have been asked to ensure social distancing of six feet among devotees. They are also required to wear a mask. Not more than 25 persons will be allowed to be congregated at any religious institutions like temple, mosque, church and gurudwara.

The authorities have to ensure RT-PCR testing of their priests or sebayats and only RT-PCR negative and final COVID vaccination certificate holders will be allowed to perform rituals. Mask is mandatory for priests or sebayats.

Hand washing or hand sanitiser has to be made available for the devotees at the entry and exit points, along with hermal checking. Spitting inside and outside the premises and chewing of paan or gutka is strictly prohibited.

The person with SARI/ ILI like symptoms will not be allowed and persons with co-morbidities, the elderly, pregnant women and children below 18 years of age have been advised against visiting religious institutions.