Covid-19 negative report must for devotees visiting Kamakhya temple

A test report confirming Covid-19 negative status has been made compulsory for devotees visiting the ancient Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, which plans to reopen its doors soon.

Doors of the temple, one of the major Shaktipeethas in the country has remained shut since March due to the pandemic.

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The safety guidelines, finalised in a meeting of Kamrup (metro) district disaster management authority and Kamakhya temple management on Monday decided that a maximum of 500 devotees will be allowed to enter the temple per day keeping in mind the safety protocols of coronavirus pandemic, which has also severely impacted Assam.

In a normal situation, Kamakhya temple witnesses footfall of 5,000 to 10,000 devotees almost every day.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

The temple authority will issue online passes to devotees and it would insist on Covid-19 negative report issued in the past three days. Devotees above 65 and below 10 will, however, not be issued any pass to visit the temple premises.

Only 100 online passes will be issued every hour while devotees will be allowed to spend only 15 minutes in the main temple premises in order to avoid crowding.

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The meeting also decided that no homestays will be allowed in the houses around Kamakhya temple for the time being. The shopkeepers selling items for the devotees have been asked to sanitise their hands in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Assam's Covid-19 positive cases reached 1,56, 680 with detection of 1,227 cases on Sunday. Kamrup Metro (Guwahati) and Jorhat have reported maximum cases. Death toll in the state mounted to 562 after 14 more persons succumbed to the virus on Sunday.