After more than 5 months of closure, the Sun Temple in Konark finally reopened for visitors. The temple had been closed since the nationwide lockdown in March due to Covid-19.
Few other Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monuments in Odisha including Raja Rani temple, Udaygiri, Khandagiri, Lalitgiri Buddhist monuments etc. were already allowed to reopen earlier. The heritage site was not allowed to open due to restriction imposed by Puri District Administration.
The visitors have been allowed to enter the popular tourist spot following the safety protocols set by the central as well as state government. The visitors will undergo thermal scanning at the entrance. Masks and maintenance of social distancing is mandatory for the visitors.
To avoid direct contact, QR code scanning has also been installed outside the temple for purchasing tickets. Apart from it, visitors can also pay online for the tickets. As per reports, a total of 2500 visitors will be allowed per day in two phases in the sun temple. 1500 visitors can visit the site between 6 AM to 1 PM and another 1000 will be allowed entry in the afternoon.
As a precautionary measure, the tourist hotspot in Puri ,the Jagannath temple will remain closed to contain the spread of Covid-19.
(Feature image source: isango)
