NEW DELHI: Two years after it was shut due to violation of COVID-19 norms, the Nizamuddin Markaz reopened on Thursday for two days to allow devotees to offer prayers on Shab-e-Barat. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed the reopening of three floors of the markaz, saying the management of the mosque will ensure that COVID-19 protocols are followed by the visitors.
According to the police, the doors of the Markaz were opened at around 12.30 pm. "The doors of the Nizamuddin Markaz were opened by police today in accordance with the high court order," said Fuzail Ahmed Ayubi, the counsel of management committee of the markaz.
Nizamuddin Markaz was at the centre of a controversy in March 2020 when after several people who attended a congregation held by Tablighi Jammat there contracted COVID-19. In its order, the court noted that the ground floor and three other floors of the mosque building will be opened at 12 pm one day prior to Shab-e-Barat, which is on March 18, and will be closed the next day at 4 pm.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri removed the restriction of putting a limit of 100 people on one floor and said it has been agreed that the management of the mosque will ensure that protocols and social distancing will be followed while allowing devotees to enter the mosque to offer namaz.
The court has ordered the markaz management committee to follow the Feburary 26 Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) guidelines in which wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, hand hygiene and ventilation in closed spaces is directed to be observed.