Mathura, Vrindavan temples wary of reopening without police help

AGRA: Prominent temples in Mathura and Vrindavan on Wednesday expressed reluctance to open their portals from June 8 without adequate police deployment to enforce physical distancing, in the absence of which they said over 80% pilgrims will get infected with Covid-19.
Hundreds of temples of the twin towns of Mathura-Vrindavan were shut on March 22 to check the spread of novel coronavirus.After the Centre’s nod to reopen religious institutions across the country from June 8, the temples’ managements held a meeting with the district administration on Wednesday.
Representatives of several famous temples, including Banke Bihari, Dwarkadhish, ISCKON and Radha Raman demanded police force deployment to maintain the social distancing.
Mammu Goswami from Banke Bihari temple said, “If temples open without police deployment, it will be difficult to follow social distancing norms due to the crowds in the narrow lanes that lead to most of the shrines. 80% pilgrims will get infected and temples will have to be shut again, if proper care is not taken.”
Chief executive officer of Rangnath temple, Angha Shri Niwasan demanded that the administration should allow only a limited number of people to visit temples.