Vijayawada: 10k devotees to be allowed for Durga darshan per day

Vijayawada: Covid guidelines will be followed in the nine-day Dasara Navaratri celebrations to be held from October 17 to 25 atop Indrakeeladri, said district collector Md Imtiaz on Monday.

Addressing media persons at the camp office, he said only 10,000 devotees would be allowed per day for Darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga. He said children below 10 years of age and senior citizens above 65 years will not be allowed for Darshan in the wake of Covid pandemic.

He said on the auspicious day of Mulanakshatram only 13,000 devotees will be allowed for Darshan from 3 am to 9 pm. Wearing of masks is mandatory and the timing of Darshan is 6 am to 7 pm, he added.

The collector said that the queue lines will be sanitised from time to time and Antaralaya Darshan is restricted to some devotees only. He said all bathing ghats and tonsuring places will remain closed due to the impact of Covid pandemic and as per the guidelines also. Even cultural programmes also cancelled, he reminded.

Moreover, devotees will not be allowed for Teppotsawam on the concluding day of nine-day Dasara celebrations. He said elaborate security measures will be made for the annual celebrations. He said Bhavani devotees will be informed to visit the nearest temple for relinquishment. Bus and lift facility are temporarily stopped since the lockdown announced, said the collector.

Durga Temple EO MV Suresh Babu, Trust Board chairman P Sominaidu were present in the press meet. He said instructions were given to continue the arrangements for the annual festival and the officials of respective departments monitoring the preparations.