Online registration for devotees at Bankey Bihari temple

Devotees will now have to register online from Tuesday before they are allowed to enter the famous Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan for 'darshan'.

These has been done in view of the huge rush at the temple and the prevailing pandemic conditions.

Munish Sharma, the manager of the temple, said: "The step has been taken in the interest of devotees considering the rapid increase in the number of Corona virus cases in the second wave."

He said that it was becoming extremely difficult for the temple management to ensure the implementation of Covid-19 norms owing to the heavy rush of devotees at the temple.

Now, 2,000 visitors would be allowed inside the temple in a day and the devotees may use an online link for prior registration.

A limited number of devotees would be allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum at any given time and nobody would be allowed to stay in for more than two-three minutes.

Apart from this, the devotees would be allowed entry and exit only through designated gates.

The temple management has also advised devotees not to bring children or elderly people, without specifying the age limits.

The Mathura district administration has already imposed a night curfew with immediate effect.

District magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal said that the curfew will be in place from 9 pm to 6 am every day, till further orders.

People associated with essential services, panchayat elections, large-scale construction work, essential commodities, petrol pumps, CNG stations, goods and luggage carriers will be exempted from the curfew. Also, employees associated with sanitation have  been exempted.

The wholesale trade in mandis and factories have also been exempted from night curfew, the district magistrate said.

Mathura reported 171 Covid-19 cases on Sunday. No Covid-19 death has been reported in the last 24 hours.