Due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, all centrally protected monuments, museums, and sites that were closed for around two months will reopen on Wednesday. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) issued an order in this regard on Monday.
Following the order, tourists and visitors will be able to visit 3,693 monuments and 50 museums across the country.
Visitors will be able to book entry tickets online, according to ASI, and there will be no offline booking option.
The ASI order requires strict adherence to any executive orders issued by the state, district, or disaster management authority, if any exist. The order also stated that while regulating the flow of visitors, appropriate guidelines and SOPs issued by the Union and state governments, ministries, and departments will be strictly followed.
According to the order, only 650 people will be allowed to enter the Taj Mahal when it reopens for visitors on Tuesday, according to Agra district magistrate Prabhu N Singh.
The monument premises will be sanitised three times a day, according to Vasant Kumar Swarnakar, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Agra Circle.
“Tourists will be required to wear masks. Tourists would be thermally screened at the entrances and sanitised before entering the monument grounds “The official stated.
“Visitors would not be permitted to touch any object on the monument grounds and would be required to observe social distancing norms,” he added.
Due to an increase in Covid-19 cases in the second wave, the ASI issued an order on April 15 closing these monuments until May 31.
Last year, the Cpvod-19 pandemic on March 17 forced the closure of all ASI-managed monuments and sites. They reopened in July with a number of restrictions, including the requirement that visitors wear masks, a limit on the number of visitors, and social distancing.
