Taj Mahal along with other historical monuments in Agra like Agra Fort, Akbar Tomb and others to remain closed in view of the current Covid-19 scenario in the city. The decision will remain in force until further orders.
The decision has come from the District Magistrate of Agra Prabhu N Singh. The city has witnessed 55 fresh cases of Covid-19 in past four days, Singh stated. Currently, there are 71 active containment zones in the city.
Singh further informed that the locations of these monuments are under ‘Buffer zones’. Opening the monuments will result in crowding of people which thereby shall increase the risk of transmission.
Earlier the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monuments were given the permission to reopen from July 6 with certain safety protocols. Read more. This came as a part of the phased reopening of establishments in India under Unlock 2.
The tourism industry is one of the worst effected by the Covid- 19 pandemic. Alongside losses worth millions of dollars, thousands of employees have lost their jobs. Agra is a hub for foreign tourists in India. Along with Delhi and Jaipur, it form the golden triangle of Indian tourism.
(Feature photo source: Britannica)
