Puri: Three days after withdrawal of mandatory COVID-19 negative report for entry into the Jagannath temple here, the darshan of Lord Jagannath and his siblings has been closed for a day Sunday.
The entry has been restricted for carrying out sanitisation works inside the shrine. A team from Fire Services department will carry out the job.
According to Puri district administration, sanitisation of the temple premises will be carried out Sundays. So the temple will be closed for the devotees on these days.
Notably, the mandatory COVID-19 negative report for gaining entrance into the temple was lifted January 21.
After remaining out of bound for devotees for close to nine months, the doors of Srimandir opened December 23. From December 23 to 25, the servitors and their family members had the opportunity to have darshan of the deities. From December 26 to 31, Puri town residents visited the temple. The temple was closed for January 1 and 2 to avoid rush. Then from January 3 onwards, common visitors were allowed entry into the shrine. But producing COVID-19 negative report was a condition then.
According to the district administration, the time from 6:00 am to 7:00 am has been exclusively set apart for Puri denizens and general public can visit the temple from 7:00 am onwards.
COVID-19 protocols such as wearing of masks, usage of sanitiser and maintaining social distancing have been made mandatory.
PNN