Nine months after closure of the Jagannath Temple here due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the shrine would finally reopen on December 23, informed district Collector Balwant Singh on Friday.An SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for reopening of the temple has been framed by the district administration. For the first two days, the servitors and their families would be allowed for darshan of deities.
The residents of different wards in Puri town would be permitted to visit the temple in a phased manner till evening of December 31, he said. The Collector also made it clear that all the religious institutions in Puri district would reopen from December 23.
The temples and other religious institutions would reopen with strict adherence to the Covid-19 guidelines, he said. Earlier, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Chief Administrator Krishan Kumar had recommended to the Government for reopening of the shrine from December 23 following a high-level Chhatisa Nijog meeting last week.In view of a possible spread of coronavirus infection due to influx of devotees and tourists during New Year, the temple authorities recommended to keep the temple closed on January 1 and 2.
However, the devotees from Puri and outside will be allowed to enter into the temple from January 3 onwards.