Religious places in Delhi permitted to allow worshippers

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has permitted religious places in the city to allow worshippers even as it prohibited them from organising large gatherings and congregations.

Religious places in Delhi were closed on April 19 when the fresh wave of the Covid-19 pandemic left the healthcare infrastructure overwhelmed and forced the government to impose a lockdown. With Covid-19 cases slowly declining, the government allowed religious places to open from May 31 but restricted them from allowing worshippers. This continued to be so till September 30.

“Religious places shall be permitted to open for visitors and devotees subject to strict compliance of standard operating procedures (SOP) and adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour (viz wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, regular hand washing, use of sanitiser, etc). However, large gatherings and congregations shall not be allowed,” said the DDMA in an order issued on Thursday night, a copy of which HT has seen.

DDMA has not specified any maximum cap on the number of visitors at any given point of time at religious places. In a separate order on Thursday, it allowed Ramleela, Dussehra, and Durga Puja festivities in public spaces, subject to a range of conditions. The conditions include shops and stalls will not be allowed both inside and outside venues, visitors cannot exceed seating capacity in venues at any point. The DDMA did not allow the celebration of Chhat Puja at riverbanks and public places.

Durga Puja this year will be celebrated between October 11 and 14, Dussehra on October 15, Diwali on November 4, and Chhat Puja on November 10.