CHENNAI: The Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department may consider waiving the Rs 5 mobile phone deposit fee at temples and introduce alternative arrangements if devotees face inconvenience, said HR&CE minister C Ramesh on Thursday.Ramesh said temple administrations had been instructed to ensure that devotees did not have to stand in long queues or face difficulties while depositing their phones. Temple authorities had been specifically told not to subject pregnant women, parents carrying infants, senior citizens and persons with disabilities to the restriction. Feedback from devotees would be taken into account and changes made wherever necessary, he said.The govt would examine the possibility of removing the nominal fee depending on the financial position of individual temples, Ramesh said. “The Rs 5 charge is not intended to generate revenue,” he added.The department has engaged members of women’s self-help groups to operate the phone deposit counters. “The collections are being used to pay their wages, while any surplus will be channelled to the annadhanam scheme,” the minister said.Ramesh clarified that the mobile phone restriction was not a fresh decision by the state govt. It was being implemented in accordance with a Madras high court order issued in December 2022. The restriction had subsequently been enforced at temples in the state.Phone deposit counters have already been operating at several major temples, including the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai, Tiruchendur Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple and Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, with a Rs 5 charge. The latest expansion involves 52 senior-grade temples where dedicated counters and facilities have now been put in place. He pointed out that mobile phone restrictions were already being enforced at temples in several other states.Defending the measure, the minister said it was aimed at enabling devotees to experience the temples without the distraction of mobile phones. He said visitors should be able to appreciate ancient Tamil inscriptions, epigraphy, devotional literature, stone sculptures and architectural features at these historic temples.The govt had no intention of causing inconvenience to devotees and would review the arrangements based on public feedback, he added.
