Taj Mahal reopens for tourists, check guidelines

The historic monument was closed in mid-April due to the COVID-19 situation in India.

File Photo (Credits: Taj Mahal official page)

New Delhi: Agra's Taj Mahal has reopened today (June 16, 2021) for the general public after being shut due to the second wave of coronavirus in the country.

The entry to the historic monument has been allowed after the Union Ministry of Culture decided to reopen all the centrally protected monuments, sites and museums under the Archaeological Survey of India. 

आज @MinOfCultureGoI ने @ASIGoI के सभी स्मारकों को 16 जून 2021 से विधिवत खोलने की स्वीकृति प्रदान की है ।पर्यटक कोरोना नियमों का पालन करते हुए स्मारकों का भ्रमण कर सकते हैं ।सभी को शुभकामनाएँ @PMOIndia @JPNadda @incredibleindia @tourismgoi @NMANEWDELHI @ngma_delhi @NMIHACM pic.twitter.com/zJYAXTfNE7 — Prahlad Singh Patel (@prahladspatel) June 14, 2021

-- Entry to the Taj Mahal will be only allowed via online tickets.

-- No visitor will be allowed to enter without a face mask.

-- Only 650 people will be allowed at a time. Teams will be deputed to monitor the crowd at all times.

-- Only 5 tickets can be booked via one phone number. 

Superintending Archeologist, Agra Circle ASI, Dr Vasant Kumar Swarnkar said, "We will maintain social distancing among the visitors and sanitisation of the monument's premises will be done thrice in a day. The body temperature will be checked through a thermal thermometer. Besides, the shoes of the tourists would be properly sanitised."

He added, "Tourists would not be allowed to touch any object inside the Taj Mahal and other monuments and sites. They have to follow social distancing norms while sitting as well."

The Taj Mahal was closed in mid-April due to the COVID-19 situation in India.