As the country strengthens its Unlock phase, the Taj Mahal is scheduled to reopen from September 21 after remaining close for almost six months due to coronavirus pandemic.
Besides Taj Mahal, two other heritage sites — Red Fort and Agra Fort will also reopen for visitors on September 21.
As a mean to maintain safety procedure, only 5,000 tourists at the Taj Mahal and 2,500 at Agra Fort would be allowed to visit daily.
Before pandemic, the Taj was visited by up to 80,000 visitors daily whereas the Agra Fort used to see a footfall of nearly 30,000 people in a day.
Agra District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh said that the tourists will have to follow the government’s guidelines, like maintaining social distancing and wearing masks will be made mandatory for everyone visiting the Taj Mahal and other forts.
Ticket counters will remain close and visitors can purchase tickets from online portal. Additionally, QR code standees at the East and West gates of the monument will be available for booking entry tickets by scanning the codes.
Former chairman of Agra Tourism Guild Arun Dang said that this is the first tine in history when the historical monuments have remained closed for a period of 6 months. “The extent of damage it has caused to the tourism industry of Agra’s incalculabe,” he said.
ASI superintending archeologist (Agra circle) Vasant K Swarnkar told India today that all the arrangements have been made at these monuments as per culture and health ministers’ guidelines.
He also mentioned that the entire premises of the forts will be sanitised twice a day and small posters advising people to maintain social distancing and not to touch surfaces will be pasted across the monuments.
“Group photography would be prohibited, a time limit of 3 hours will strictly be followed and visitors will be advised to keep a sanitiser and water bottle with them as a precautionary measure,” said Swarnkar.
The Taj Mahal was among one of the first public places to be closed in the country as it shut on March 17, even before the enforcement of first lockdown, in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, tourism industry remains one of the worst effected sectors by the pandemic. With international travel still suspended, it is still not sure if the reopening would be able to bring back the old days in one of the seven wonders of the world.
