Kumbh Melo 2021: Devotees will get admission only after announced SOP, registration and RTPCR

- Interstate transport, one more SOP will come for registration

Dehradun, Ta. Wednesday, February 10, 2021

The SOP has been announced for the Kumbh Mela held at Haridwar during the Corona period in which registration and Corona tests have been made mandatory. Only devotees who test RTPCR 72 hours before entering Aquarius will be allowed. The government has issued SOPs for 10 sectors to protect the entire Kumbh Mela area from corona contamination. These sectors include ashrams, inns, hotels, restaurants and guesthouses, shops, commercial establishments, religious places, public transport, parking lots for vehicles, halting points, ferries, railway and bus stations.

According to SA Murugesan, Secretary, Disaster Management, one more SOP will be announced soon for interstate transport, registration, etc. for Aquarius. A Kumbh is proposed to be held in Haridwar on February 27 on Magh Purnima, for which the government has stepped up preparations. The central government had earlier declared SOP in the matter. In fact, the main challenge facing Aquarius is to prevent the spread of Kovid's transition and it is with this in mind that SOPs have been declared for different sectors.

According to the SOP issued by Disaster Management, all stakeholders, including devotees, local residents, officials and employees in Aquarius, will ensure strict adherence to the SOPs of the Central and State Governments. According to the SOP, everyone entering Aquarius will be allowed entry only after registering on the web portal. At the same time, it is inevitable that every person staying in an ashram, dharamshala, hotel, guest house will have a negative RTPCR test 72 hours before arrival. No passenger will get booking without test report and thermal screening and sanitizer will be arranged for admission at all places. Masks have been made mandatory for all pilgrims coming to Aquarius and devotees, tourists will be encouraged to download the Health Bridge app.

Organizations like bhajans, songs and bhandaras in any place during Kumbh are completely banned. The temple administration will also have to ensure a safe physical distance of two yards between the devotees during the darshan. Arrangements will also be made for cowardly checkpoints for motorists and passengers in parking lots.