Ashad mela to begin at Gurgaon’s Sheetla Mata Mandir tomorrow, 300 personnel to help maintain Covid protocol

Online darshan, live screening of the aarti, limited hours for physical darshan, thermal scanners to check the temperature of visitors, and deployment of around 300 personnel to maintain law and order and enforce Covid norms – these are the measures being adopted by the Shri Mata Sheetla Devi Puja Sthal Board as it looks to conduct the Ashad Mela at the Sheetla Mata Mandir in the city from Friday.

According to officials, devotees can visit the temple between 5 pm to 10 pm.

“In the era of Coronavirus, our first priority is to save the lives of people and, keeping this in mind, the emphasis is on ensuring there is compliance with Covid protocol. We have combatted a lot of difficulties in the second wave of the Covid infection, that is why, to protect against Covid, a time of 5 pm to 10 pm has been fixed for darshan in the temple. In addition, online aarti has been arranged in the temple, which will be telecast at 6 am every morning so that people can participate from the safety of their own homes,” said Mukesh Ahuja, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Chief Administrator of the Shri Mata Sheetla Devi Puja Sthal Board.

“The body temperature of every devotee will be checked with a thermal scanner while climbing the bridge to enter the temple premises, and those devotees having fever or other symptoms will not be allowed entry,” he said.

To ensure social distancing, circles have been made with white chalk in the temple for people to stand. Apart from this, announcements will also be made from time to time reminding devotees of the Covid protocols.

“To maintain law and order in the temple premises, 150 to 200 policemen, 50 home guards, and more than 50 volunteers have been deployed at the temple. Wearing a face mask is mandatory for everyone and, in case of violation of any of these norms, the entry in the temple premises will not be allowed,” said Ahuja.