Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri on Wednesday was announced to reopen the Temple of the 12th century for worshipers on August 16.
The worshipers must show the final dose vaccination certificate or RT-PCR negative report for temple entries.
The temple will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday in seeing the weekend shutdown in Puri.
After the second wave of Covid, the temple was closed for worshipers since April 24.
In the first phase, the SJTA has decided to only allow the population of the city of Puri or the city area to Darshan on August 16 to 20.
The doors of the temple will be open to all the people from August 23.
“We will issue a standard operating procedure (SOP) about the Darshan system.
The kiosk will be arranged outside the temple to check the final dose certificate or RT-PCR negative report from worshipers.
While the temple will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday, we will also Closing the temple on the occasion of a large festival to prevent heavy demakan, “said Head of SJTA Administrator Krisar Krisar.
Darshan’s schedule has been repaired from 7am to 8pm on weekdays.
The worshipers have been advised not to offer Bhog or Light Diya in the temple.
The temple body also appealed to worshipers not to touch any idols or structures in the temple location.
“We will hold Covid testing camps for all servants before the reopening of the temple.
The servitor and temple staff, who have taken part in Rath Yatra have recently after testing the negative for the Covid-19 virus, will undergo another test.
Special doors will also be launched to check whether all servants and their families have been vaccinated, “Kumar said.
After the first wave of Covid last year, the government had closed the Jagannath temple for worshipers on March 20, 2020 and reopened on December 23, 2020 only for their waiters and family members.
Waders from the Puri City area allowed Darshan from December 26 to 31 before the Shrine door opened for all of January 3 this year.