Siddhivinayak temple trust chairman Aadesh Bandekar said, “We have provided masks to our 300 staff members, security personnel and the policemen who guard the site. We are also cleaning the steel railings every 15-20 minutes.” Siddhivinayak receives 30,000 visitors each day on average, with the footfalls doubling on Tuesday and Sunday.
Mumbadevi temple in South Mumbai, the seat of the patron deity of the city, has also considered the threat
Manager Hemant Jadhav said, “We have started cleaning our temple six times in day, previously it was three times. We have also started cleaning the steel railings in our complex by using pesticides. From Thursday we will begin distributing good quality masks for use to our pujaris and security personnel. We have also decided to take devotees inside the temple for darshan in fewer numbers at a time.”
Jadhav said they have not received any instructions from the civic authorities or the state health department but are taking these precautions in the interest of both devotees and staff members.
By all accounts, attendance has not fallen at these shrines so far.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/mumbai-temples-scrub-well-hand-out-masks-to-counter-coronavirus-fears/articleshow/74580726.cms
