New Delhi: Shut for months due to the COVID pandemic, the historic monuments across the country were opened for visitors today. However, the forts and museums witnessed thin crowd. Moreover, the number of crows was quite low in these places. These monuments were opened after the Central government on Tuesday issued an order allowing reopening of monuments for the general public. These historical buildings, memorial sites and museums protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have opened their doors for tourists and local visitors as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is slowly receding.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ASI had decided to close historical monuments and sites till June 15 this year.
Ahead of reopening, the Qutub Minar and Red Fort were sanitised properly before the arrival of tourists. The people will once again be able to visit the fort by booking e-tickets and scan the QR code using the Paytm app. Tourists must follow social distancing norms inside the monument.
Thermal screening of tourists would be done before entering the fort. They will be permitted to enter the premises only if their body temperature is normal.
However, the tourists will have to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. “All the tourists who have come so far to the fort are residents of Delhi, we have not seen any foreign tourist till now,”said officials at the Red Fort to IANS.
The ASI had earlier ordered closure of all centrally protected monuments from April 16 to May 15. The ASI had again issued an order on May 12 to keep all monuments closed till June 15.
Humayun’s Tomb, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan’s or Rahim’s Tomb and other important historical places in Delhi have been opened for public viewing from Wednesday. The ASI has been ordered to open 3,693 monuments and 50 museums across the country. However, the final decision to open these historical sites will rest with the district administration.
On the other side, the thin crowds were witnessed at forts, monuments and museums in Rajasthan as they reopened on Wednesday after being shut for almost two months.
The number of tourists was quite low, but it is expected that footfall will increase in the coming days, Director, Rajasthan Department of Archeology and Museums, Prakash Chandra Sharma, told PTI.
There are 342 monuments under the state department of archaeology and museums and at 31 of them, entry is ticketed.
“All monuments were reopened from 9 am to 3 pm on Wednesday as per guidelines of the state government. Covid-related guidelines were followed at all the monuments,” he said.