Chennai, Jun 27 (IANS): The temples of Tamil Nadu are getting ready for opening from Monday onwards following the relaxation in lockdown.

The temples in the districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpettu, and Tiruvallur districts have begun cleaning, setting up barricades to restrict the entry of devotees as well as sanitizing the temples.

A senior officer with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department (HR&CE) told IANS, "The protocols will be as what we followed during the first wave of the Covid. People will not be allowed to prostrate or sit down inside the 'prakarams' or touch idols on the walls or ring bells."

He said that those above 60, those with comorbidities, children below ten years of age and pregnant women will not be allowed entry to temples.

Officials said that there were frenetic calls from people across the four districts of Chengalpettu, Kancheepuram, Chennai, and Tiruvallur for the opening of the temples and that the HR&CE department's helpline was flooded with calls from devotees for the opening of temples.

The senior official said that the HR&CE helpline 044-28339999 can be used by the devotees on all working days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and log in complaints related to temple lands, Tiruppani works related to temples or even complaints regarding the running of temples under HR&CE in the local areas.

The Tamil Nadu government, following the intervention of the Madras High Court, is in the process of reclaiming the temple lands across the state. Records have found that there is a difference of 40,000 acres of temple land from the survey conducted in 1984-85 and 2020-21. The government has already reclaimed some land from certain trusts and societies who were running schools and other educational institutions on Temple land.

The Tamil Nadu Minister for HR&CE, P.K. Sekar Babu on Saturday inaugurated a free Covid-19 testing camp for temple staff, including the 'archakas' and 'battacharyas'.