UP: Many Mathura temples squirm over use of alcohol (sanitisers) on premises, to remain shut

AGRA: Despite district administration’s assurance to the management of various temples in Vrindavan and Mathura of adequate police deployment for crowd management, some major shrines, including Iskcon, Banke Bihari, Mukut Mukharvind and Shri Rang Nath Ji, have decided not to open their doors for public on Monday. One of the reasons behind their decision is the government’s directions for mandatory use of alcohol-based sanitisers on the temple premises.
Ganesh Pehalwan from Mukut Mukharvind temple in Govardhan said, “The temple committee decided not to open temple for public as we will not use alcohol-based sanitisers on the premises, which is mandatory as per guidelines. However, LED screens will be put up outside the premises to facilitate darshan for the devotees.”
Saurabh Das from International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) in Vrindavan told TOI that they will open the temple for public after June 15 as they need to train the security staff with the latest guidelines and make adequate arrangements inside the premises.
However, several other temples, including Shri Krishna Janmasthan, have decided to allow devotees after being assured by the administration that all adequate steps would be taken for the crowd management outside the shrines.
Earlier in the day, Mathura district magistrate Sarvagya Ram Mishra in a meeting with managements of several temples apprised them about the recent guidelines prepared by state government for reopening of religious places across the state and also informed that all steps would be taken for effective crowd management.
Superintendent of police (city) AK Meena told TOI that an elaborate plan for crowd management has been prepared to ensure maintain social distancing. He said, “Vehicles of visitors or devotees will be stopped at the multi-level parking area and they will be allowed to go to the temples on foot only after thermal screening.”