Entry of foreigners banned in Delhi Gurdwaras amid COVID-19 fears

at 11:10 pm

New Delhi (NVI): In a bid to check the transmission of coronavirus, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee today decided to ban the entry of foreigners who have not completed their 15 days stay in India in all Delhi Gurdwaras with immediate effect.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, President Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Committee, said that only those foreigners who have completed their 15-day stay in India will be allowed to visit the Gurdwaras in National Capital as a matter of precaution and preventive measure.

Apart from this, all devotees have been requested to take langar prasad (food) from main langar halls only. The food served by individuals/different Sikh organizations in a different separate place in gurdwara premises henceforth will not be allowed in Gurdwara Premises, Sirsa announced.

The DSGMC president also said that all Gurdwara sevadars will take every essential precaution before serving food like sanitising themselves and washing their hands with soap.

In the advisory, Sirsa further stated that all the railing/lifts/chairs etc which are used by devotees will be disinfected multiple times a day as part of precautionary and preventive measures against coronavirus.

Gurdwara Authorities have also discontinued providing headscarf in all Delhi Gurdwaras to visiting devotees as a preventive measure to check transmission of Corona Virus.

Therefore, all non-sikhs/Shahzdhari Sikhs who visit Gurdwaras regularly have been advised to bring their own headscarf to cover their head which is mandatory to gain entry in the main hall.

Besides this, all the important places like Langar Halls / Main halls / Visiting rooms will be regularly disinfected in the Gurdwara Premises to check the transmission of coronavirus, Sirsa said.

He added that it has been decided to avoid cooking of raw vegetables in langar and instead cook packaged rice, pulses, etc in as preventive measure.

DSGMC is seriously considering the checking of all devotees for virus infection before entry to gurdwaras as health safety measures if situation warrants so in coming days, advisory reads.