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Taj Mahal, other ASI-protected sites closed amid Covid surge
AGRA In wake of the Covid surge in the country, the culture ministry on Friday decided to shut down ASI-protected monuments, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri
AGRA In wake of the Covid surge in the country, the culture ministry on Friday decided to shut down ASI-protected monuments, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
The ‘monument of love’ was already witnessing a decline in footfall since the beginning of April. Tourism trade pundits questioned the closure of the monument at a time when elections were also taking place in different parts of India.
“Taj Mahal and other ASI-protected sites all over the nation will remain closed for public viewing till May 15, stated Amarnath Gupta, conservation assistant for Archaeological Survey of India at Taj Mahal.
The monument had remained closed for nearly seven months during the first wave of the pandemic.
In February 2020, Taj Mahal was in the headlines when the then US President Donald Trump visited the heritage site. On March 2, Agra reported UP’s first Covid positive cases and by March 17, Taj Mahal gates were closed even before the nation went into total lockdown later in March.
Taj Mahal gates remained closed despite lockdown lifted in mid 2020 and tourist trade in Agra kept on pressing demand to re-open Taj Mahal. Finally decision was taken to open Taj Mahal on 21st September 2020 but with limited number of visitors allowed. This capping however was removed later on.
In March 2021, around 15,000 tourists were visiting Taj Mahal in a day, but the numbers fell when April began. Only 2,512 tourists visited the monument on Thursday, a day prior to closure.
“Lakhs of people are attending the Kumbh while elections are on in different parts of the nation. It is ironic that Taj Mahal that sees a footfall of only 2,500 people a day, has been closed,” stated Rakesh Chauhan, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Agra.
