Devotees will now be allowed to enter the famed Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri without double vaccination certificates or RTPCR COVID-negative reports, the administration announced on Monday.

The decision was taken in view of the declining COVID-19 cases, officials said.

Earlier, devotees required double vaccination certificates or RTPCR-negative reports obtained within 72 hours for entering the temple.

Devotees will be allowed to enter the temple from 6 am to 9 pm on all days, except Sunday when it will be closed for sanitisation, said a new order issued by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

Wearing masks and maintaining social distance are mandatory, it said.

A separate queue has been made operational for senior citizens, it added.

Arrangements for drinking water will be made for the devotees when they wait in the queue, the order said.

SJTA chief administrator Krishan Kumar said the rules will be reviewed periodically and revised instructions will be issued from time to time, keeping in view the evolving situation.