MUMBAI: Places of worship geared up to re-open in Maharashtra from Monday with all SOPs in place for devotees visiting them amidst the Covid pandemic. As per the Standard Operating Procedures released by the Maharashtra government, religious places located out of COVID-19 containment zones will be allowed to remain open as per the timings decided by authorities, and devotees will be allowed inside in a staggered manner.
Face masks will be mandatory for devotees along with social distancing protocols. Earlier this year, all major organisers of the state’s biggest festival Ganeshotsav cancelled their celebrations and even the iconic Mohammed Ali Road street-food market remained shut during Ramzan due to Covid.
Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi, Dadgusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune are among the places of worship that will be opened for the people. “Devotees won’t be allowed to offer elaborate prayers. Only ‘darshan’ with COVID protocols permissible,” said a temple trust member of the Dadgusheth Ganpati temple.
Similarly, the Shirdi Trust will only allow 6,000 devotees per day. Devotees can apply online for the ‘darshan’ besides the usual tokens from the counter. People above the age of 65 year and children below 10 will not be allowed entry, the Shirdi trust said.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government’s decision to reopen places of religious worship was neither a victory nor defeat of anybody. “The SOPs drafted by the government need to be followed strictly. There is no need to take credit. It was God’s will that people stay at home, and now it is God’s will that places of worship reopen with precautions,” Raut said. The BJP and various socio-religious outfits had been demanding that the government reopens places of worship for the devotees.