Ramgarh: Daily footsteps at the famous Chhinnamastika Temple in Ramgarh have decreased dramatically due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The temple authority said that it is usually around 20,000 worshipers used to visit every day to offer prayers and the number will rise by around 35,000 over the weekend.
But now almost 500 people come to temples every day.
Ajay Panda, a senior priest at the temple, said that the footsteps had fallen because host restrictions were initiated by the government to control the spread of the virus.
“On weekends, temples and tourist attractions that side by side often witness a heavy crowd but with the government close tourist attractions up to January 15, footsteps have fallen.
Also, the increase in Covid-19 cases is also a deterrent,” he added.
The Covid-19 active case in Ramgarh has crossed 1,000-mark and since the last few days, it has registered a triple-digit surge.
As a result, the district government has directed the temple committee to prohibit the entry of worshipers without masks and maintain social distance.
All priests are directed to get a double dose of anti-covid vaccines.