The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday issued new guidelines to regulate pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine to prevent COVID-19 spread. The decision was taken by the state executive committee during a review meet of the current situation in the Union territory.

On Friday, J&K recorded 108 fresh coronavirus cases – 21 in Jammu and 87 in Kashmir. This takes the tally to 3,31, 494 while the death toll remains unchanged at 4,429 — 2,175 in Jammu and 2,254 in Kashmir. Currently, there are 870 active cases in J&K—140 in Jammu and 730 in Kashmir.

After the meeting, the administration announced that pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine must carry a valid and verifiable RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen Test not older than 72 hours.

HERE ARE THE FRESH GUIDELINES:

• Strict adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour/ Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) must be followed.
• Valid and verifiable RT-PCR/Rapid Antigen Test not older than 72 hours of arrival should be made mandatory.
• Only those pilgrims, who do not show any COVID-19 related symptoms, will be allowed to visit the shrine.
• The premises of the shrine should be properly sanitised as per COVID-19 SOPs.

ONLINE DARSHAN

There is no specific time in a year for visiting Vaishno Devi. Last year, the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine had launched a mobile app through which devotees could access live darshan and also conduct live havan.