Places of worship, shopping malls and restaurants reopen in many parts of the country.
New Delhi:
Places of worship, malls and restaurants are reopening in most states today as part of what he called “Unlock1”, more than two months after they closed to check for the spread of the coronavirus. The government announced Thursday new rules allowing the gradual opening of shopping centers, restaurants, hotels and places of worship after the national foreclosure. The directives, which take effect from today, include measures such as the shifting of visitors to shopping centers and the absence of contact with idols in religious places.
-
The most important place to reopen in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is the temporary temple of Lord Ram inside the Ram Janmabhoomi or birthplace of Lord Ram. In March, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over a ceremony to move the idol of Lord Ram from a pewter structure where it was kept for decades on a new fiber. Yogi Adityanath offered prayers this morning at the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur.
-
However, in Mathura – the city in western Uttar Pradesh also famous for its iconic temples – many important places of worship remain closed due to concerns over the pandemic. The Eidgah Mosque in Lucknow opened with Imam Shahi who led the morning prayers in groups of five.
-
The richest and most visited temple in the world, the shrine of Lord Venkateswara hill in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, reopened today. Contrary to what happened before when 80,000 people per lakh visited the Tirumala Tirupati temple every day, only 5,000 to 10,000 people at most should be allowed today as part of the opening of the trial, according to all standards of social distancing.
-
Also in Telangana, religious places, shopping malls and restaurants are expected to reopen today with several SOPs, including worshipers who must wash their hands and feet with soap and water before entering.
-
Several temples and gurdwaras reopened in Delhi this morning. In Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, the faithful started arriving in the morning. There are posters every few meters with messages about social isolation. Other introductions include thermal scanners and pedal disinfectant dispensers. Many churches in Delhi, however, have decided not to reopen at this time. “Shopping centers, restaurants and religious places will open in Delhi tomorrow (Monday) in accordance with the center’s guidelines,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.
-
At Jama Masjid in Delhi, all prayer rugs were removed and the safety marks were spaced six feet apart. All prayer rugs were removed and the safety marks were six feet apart. People were asked to bring their own rugs. Each alternate row would be left empty and worshipers should wear face masks at all times. The “hauz” (basin for cleaning hands and feet before prayer) was closed.
-
Places of worship, hotels and restaurants will not be allowed to open today in Maharashtra, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in India. Private offices will be allowed to resume from today with 10 percent staff. Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has resumed operations from today to transport passengers to their workplaces. However, only 30 people can sit and five can stand in one bus. Only one passenger will be authorized per seat.
-
In Tamil Nadu also, the state with the second highest number of cases of coronavirus in India, the religious places remain closed. State restaurants have reopened today after two months. The state government has issued strict SOPs, including no air conditioners, 50% occupancy, disinfection of chairs and tables after each use, disinfectants on each table, and thermal sweeping. There are about 50,000 restaurants across the state, including about 20,000 in Chennai alone.
-
“Rajasthan is entering the next phase of easing restrictions on lockdown standards from today with the opening of hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and other activities. All must follow protocol and health guidelines. Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted.
-
The Interior Ministry announced last month that “Unlock1” would be rolled out across the country from today, under which the national lockdown that came into effect on March 25 will be eased to a large extent, including the opening of shopping centers, restaurants and religious places, although strict restrictions will remain in place until June 30 in the most affected areas.
