In a move to streamline visitor management and prioritise locals, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust has significantly expanded entry facilities for Varanasi residents at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Following directives from chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday to ensure dedicated route arrangements during the holy month of Shravan, the administration has extended the operational hours of the Kashi Dwar (Gate No. 4-B), the gate which is designated for the city residents.
Under the new arrangement, which began on July 8, local residents can now enter through the Kashi Dwar throughout the day, from 4.15 am to 10.45 pm—beginning 15 minutes after the temple opens and concluding 15 minutes before its nightly closure. Previously, residents of Kashi could only access the temple through this gate during two limited windows: 4.00 am to 5.00 am and 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Temple officials clarified that this expanded access is valid for residents holding government-issued identity cards bearing a local Varanasi address. The administration noted, however, that this facility will remain subject to restrictions on specific festival days and other significant dates.
On July 8, the first day of the new schedule, 8,688 residents utilised the Kashi Dwar. The high turnout continued into the following day, with 5,196 devotees from the city entering through the gate by 1:30 pm on Thursday.