Unlock 3: Religious Places in J-K to Open From Aug 16, Touching Idols Not Allowed | Check SOPs

New Delhi: Going in line with the Unlock 3 guidelines of the Central government, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday allowed religious places/ places of worship within the Union Territory

New Delhi: Going in line with the Unlock 3 guidelines of the Central government, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday allowed religious places/ places of worship within the Union Territory to open from August 16.

Issuing guidelines, the UT administration said the use of Aarogya Setu App mandatory for all visitors. However, touching statues, idols or holy books are not allowed by the UT administration.

“The 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,” the UT administration said in its SOPs.

Due to relatively large number of pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, there shall be a ceiling of maximum 5000 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 J&K: UT Govt https://t.co/rQWiSUA9yZ

— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2020

The UT in the guidelines further added that due to relatively large number of pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, there shall be a ceiling of maximum 5000 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 J&K,” the UT administration said.

The development comes as the UT on Tuesday recorded 564 COVID-19 cases, 604 recoveries, and 12 deaths.

The total number of cases in the Union Territory is now at 25,931 including 17,979 recovered/discharged, 7,462 active cases, and 490 deaths.

On Monday, the UT reported 470 new Covid-19 cases, taking the Union Territory’s coronavirus tally past the 25,000-mark to 25,367.

A statement issued by the Information and Public Relations department said that a total of 470 persons have tested positive in the past 24 hours, of which 102 are in Jammu division and 368 in Kashmir division.

Of the total 25,367 positive cases detected in the UT so far, 17,375 persons have completely recovered.