Taj Mahal reopens after 188 days of closure, Taiwan tourist becomes first visitor

The Taj Mahal has finally reopened for tourists on Monday after remaining closed for almost six months in the view of the coronavirus pandemic. As it finally reponed for the visitors, the first tourist to enter the 17th-century ivory-white marble monument on the southern bank of river Yamuna was Liang Chiacheng, from the Republic of China. The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort were closed for tourists from March 17.

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The news of the Taj Mahal opening created an atmosphere of happiness among the people associated with the tourism business. Earlier, sanitization work was carried out inside the Taj Mahal under the supervision of Superintending Archaeologist Basant Kumar Swarnakar. Tourists visiting the Taj Mahal will have to follow the anti-COVID guidelines and precautions issued by the administration and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the virus continues to spread.

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SOPs for the tourists visiting Taj Mahal and  Agra Fort

According to the fresh guidelines, a maximum of 5,000 tourists will enter the monument every day and a maximum of 2,500 tourists will enter the Agra Fort. Furthermore, the tourists have to book tickets online from the ASI website, the officials said. Tourists will be given access given after scanning the QR code on the monuments, it added.

The officials of the Department of Archeology further said that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being followed at Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Tourists will have to make all payments digitally including the payment for parking. It will be mandatory for tourists to follow physical distances and wear masks and have to stay away from the walls and railings of the buildings. Tourists are allowed to enter the monuments only after their thermal screening and only those with no COVID symptoms. The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and other religious places opened in Agra on Monday, however, the emporiums have not yet been opened.

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(With PTI inputs)