Visakhapatnam: Temples pull out all stops to facilitate safety measures

Visakhapatnam: Ahead of the devotees gaining access to temples, Endowment Department officials are pulling out all stops to make necessary arrangements to ensure a 'darshan' free from the pandemic spread.

Taking advantage of the pilgrim-free lockdown period, the temples are now gearing up to facilitate disinfectant tunnels, queue line alterations, foot-operated hand washing facilities at all entry points and counters for masks.

As it is a time consuming process to equip the shrines with these precautionary measures, the Endowments Department officials have directed the Executive Officers (EO) of 6(A) and 6(B) category temples across the State to accelerate necessary works.

While there are about 200 6(A) category temples, 6(B) category temples are close to 1,200 in the State. "With the devotees crossing thousands in both the categories on a normal day, extra care is being taken to control the crowd by considering various safety protocols to avoid the spread of the pandemic. This includes, markings to maintain social distancing in the temples that may go up to six-feet between two persons," says K Rama Chandra Mohan, Endowments in-charge Commissioner.

Endowments officials say that the darshan will be restricted to 250 per hour. Time slots will be allotted for the darshan by the respective temple EOs. Darshan slots can be booked over mobile phone a day in advance and it will be confirmed through an SMS.

Keeping the pandemic in view, even the temple timings will be restricted between 6 am and 6 pm.

But the devout should be prepared to have a darshan sans 'satari' and 'teertham' to avoid human contact. 'Antaralaya' darshan and 'Garbhalaya' darshan will not be allowed until the situation returns to normalcy.

As a part of the preventive measures, frequent spraying of sodium hypochlorite in and around the temple premises and continuous cleaning of the queue line railings will be taken up by the authorities concerned.

By the time the government grants permission to reopen the temples for the devout, the Endowments Department officials have given instructions to the EOs to make all the necessary arrangements for a safe darshan.