Kamakhya Temple would re-open for devotees on September 24th, 2020 after a gap of nearly 6 months. The Kamrup district administration has allowed Kamakhya temple authorities to re-open the temple amid severe restrictions and limitations.

The temple was closed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As per records, the temple was closed for devotees for the first time in last 400 years. In 16th century, it was closed for renovatation by Koch Dynasty. On usual days, the footfall is up to 2000 devotees per day, while during festivals, it rises to up to 2 lakhs devotees/day.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) for running the temple amid the pandemic has been released. According to the SOP, the temple authorities have to issue online passes to the devotees with time stamps so that there are no more than 100 people inside the premises at a single time. The devotees will be allowed to stay inside only for 15 minutes.

Below are the rules as part of SOP, according to the website Guwahati Plus.

1. Maximum 500 devotees will be allowed per day to enter into the Temple Complex for Temple Parikrama. 

2. Kamakhya Temple Management Committee will arrange online passes for the devotees on the basis of the applications of devotees. Person more than 65 years and below 10 years will not be allowed to visit Kamakhya Temple and Temple Management Committee will ensure this strictly at the time of the issue of online passes. 

3. Kamakhya Temple Authorities will arrange the system for the receipt of online applications and the issue of online passes to the devotees. For the purpose, they will engage skilled operators at their own cost.

4. The online passes will be issued on a time slot basis so that gathering may be controlled at the temple premises at a time. For the purpose the temple authority will issue maximum of 100 online passes per hour for the devotees and devotees will be allowed to stay for maximum 15 minutes at the temple premises. 

5. When online applications are received by the temple management committee, they will insist on a medical certificate showing COVID-19 Negative result that was issued during the last 3 days. 

6. For payment of operators and the online system, they can charge a minimum amount from the devotees if they desire so. 

7. Police Authority will check the online passes at the entry point at Kamakhya Nursery (lower Kamakhya) and will allow the devotees to proceed towards the main Temple. 

8. On the basis of the urgency, District Administration and Kamakhya Temple Management Committee will issue additional passes to some other persons including VIPs, and Police Authority will accept the passes so issued. 

9. A medical team will be arranged for the devotees and other persons at the entry point at Kamakhya Nursery to test the devotees who have availed online passes and after the detection of negative results devotees will be allowed to proceed to the main temple premises. However, devotees who can furnish test result that has been carried out during the last three days will not be tested at the medical booth at the entry point.

10. Kamakhya Temple authority will arrange a holding area near the main temple premises and will gather the devotees there and then allow the devotees to enter the main temple on small batches. 

11. Kamakhya Temple authority will arrange sanitization of the holding area regularly. 

12. At the time of entry to the main temple devotees have to sanitize their hands with sanitizer and will be checked with thermal scanner and then only will be allowed to enter into the temple. Temple Management Authority will arrange sufficient amount of sanitizer and thermal scanner for the purpose.

13. The shopkeepers from whom puja materials will be purchased by the devotees will keep their hands sanitized frequently. 

14. Another holding area for the devotees will be developed by the Kamakhya Temple management authority at the entry point near Kamakhya Nursery so that devotees can be allowed to proceed to the main temple as per time slot allowed to them. 

15. Kamakhya Temple Management Committee will arrange stalls at the entry point near Kamakhya Nursery for police and medical teams. 

16. Vehicles taken by the devotees on their own will be allowed to travel up to the parking place near the temple. However, the commercial vehicles plying between entry point and the main temple will be regulated by the police authority as per requirements.

17. No homestays will be allowed at the houses in and around the temple premises for the time being.