SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday issued instructions for the opening of religious places in the Union Territory from August 16.
The guidelines said that religious places/places of worship within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will open from August 16 and the visitors will be required to follow all the norms specified by the Centre including COVID-19 testing and use of Aarogya Setu App.
The guidelines say that visitors will not be permitted to touch statues, idols or holy books.
It said there will be a restriction on the number of pilgrims coming to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra till September 30.
Religious places/places of worship within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to open from August 16. Installation and use of Aarogya Setu App mandatory for all
visitors. Touching statues, idols or holy books not permitted: J&K Government #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/lnkcdAF3Xn— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2020
“Due to a relatively large number of pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, there shall be a ceiling of maximum 5,000 pilgrims per day till September 30. A maximum of 500 pilgrims per day will be permitted within this ceiling in a graded manner from outside Jammu and Kashmir,” the guidelines said.
Registration of pilgrims should be made only through online mode, in order to avoid any assembly of persons at counters, they added.
