Taj Mahal, other centrally protected ASI monuments to reopen on June 16

The Taj Mahal and all other centrally protected monuments, museums and sites, closed for around two months due to the Covid pandemic, will be reopened on June 16, an Archaeological Survey of India order issued on Monday said.

These include 3,693 monuments and 50 museums across India.

An ASI official said visitors will be able to book entry tickets online. However, no offline booking facility will be available, the official added.

According to the ASI order, the opening of the monuments will be in strict compliance with the executive orders, if any, issued by the state, district, or the disaster management authority.

"Today @MinOfCultureGoI has given @ASIGoI approval to duly open all the monuments of India from 16 June 2021. Tourists can visit the monuments following the Corona rules. Good luck to all," tweeted Union Culture and Tourism minister Prahlad Patel.

Appropriate guidelines and SOPs issued by Union and states governments, ministries and departments will be scrupulously followed while regulating the flow of visitors, the order said.

In an order on April 15, the ASI had shut these monuments till May 31.

Last year, all monuments and sites maintained by the ASI were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 17. They reopened in July with strict restrictions like mandatory wearing of masks, a cap on the number of visitors and social distancing.

The curbs were relaxed later in the year.

However, due to the surge in cases again this year, these monuments were closed for the public.