With the beginning of the nine- day Navratri festival, the district administration of Deoghar on Thursday opened one of the four main gates of Baidyanathdham temple of Deoghar for the convenience of the devotees visiting the temple from different parts of the country.

So far the entry of the devotees in the temple was being allowed only through the VIP gate to ensure observance of Covid protocol in better manner ever since the temple was opened on September 18 after remaining closed for more than 148 days following the second wave of pandemic.

Talking to The Telegraph Online, Sanjay Mishra, Vice President of Shrine board Panda Dharmrakshini Sabha said, “The Singh Dwar situated on the north side of the temple was opened this morning at around 11 am marking the normalisation of the situation. We expect that the other two gates of the temple situated on the east and west sides would also be opened gradually.”

“Though, even after the opening of Singh Dwar from today the devotees would have to follow the same stricter Covid norms as was in place ever since the reopening of temple on September 18 but it would add to the look of the temple,” said Mishra and added that entry at present in temple is provided only through advance booking through the online portal of the portal.

Echoing sentiments, Alok Mallik, President of Santhal Pargana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “The opening of the one of gate of the temple marks the gradual normalisation of the situation and as trader we welcome the development as being a religious pilgrimage centre the trade of Deoghar largely depends of the flow of devotees from the different parts of the country and abroad to the Deoghar”

In a related development possibilities of developing a corridor around the Baidyadham temple on the line of corridor situated around the Kashi Vishwanath Temple have generated as initial discussion in this regard was held between Nishikant Dubey, M. Godda MP and Arbind Singh secretary of the union ministry of Tourism was held last week.

Talking to media, Dubey said, “The corridor that would be developed from Mansarovar pond near the Baidyanathdham temple and would extend towards the BN Jhar road would help the devotees to have the magnificent view of the temple even from some distance away and would be used only for footwalk of the devotees around the temple.

“If the state government allots land for the development of the corridor its development can be initiated within one year,” said Dubey.