The Taj Mahal, a major tourist destination in India, will open on September 21. The Taj Mahal was closed last March following the spread of COVID-19.

The Agra District Magistrate had announced that all the historical monuments in the city, which were classified as part of the buffer zone due to the lockdown, would be open for tourists from September 1. But the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort were not open. The district magistrate then ordered the Taj Mahal to reopen on September 21.

Only 5,000 people a day are allowed to visit the Taj Mahal and 2,500 a day at the Agra Fort. There will be no ticket counters. Instead, visitors will be given e- tickets. Social distance, wearing a mask and sanitizer are mandatory.

The tourism industry has been hit hardest by the lockdown announced in the COVID-19 context. With the reopening of the Taj Mahal, the hotel industry is expected to be re-enrgised. Those in the hotel industry say they are ready to receive tourists.

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According to Kumar, only 5,000 and 2,500 visitors will be allowed in both the monuments respectively in a day.

As a precautionary measure, the ticket counters will not open and electronic tickets will be provided to the visitors.

“Taj Mahal and Agra Fort to be opened for visitors from September 21. 5,000 and 2500 visitors to be allowed in Taj Mahal and Agra Fort respectively, in a day. Electronic tickets will be provided as ticket counters will not open,” Basant Kumar .

The monuments have been closed to the public since a nationwide lockdown was imposed in March to combat the pandemic.

Here’s what you need to know if you plan to visit either of these places.

1. There will be a restricted number of visitors at the monuments

To prevent crowding and maintain social distancing, not more than 5,000 tourists will be allowed in a day at Taj Mahal. Tourists at Agra Fort will be restricted to 2,500 a day. Visitors at Taj Mahal in two slots- pre-lunch and post-lunch. In each of these slots there will be 2,500 visitors. All licensed commercial photographers permitted within Taj Mahal will not be allowed in at the same time.
For Agra Fort, it will 1300 visitors in the morning and 1200 in the afternoon.

2. Tickets will be sold online

Ticket sales will take place online. Tickets will first be sold for the first slot; once all 2,500 tickets are exhausted, then the 2,500 tickets for the second slot will be put on sale. Thus, in a day, a maximum of 5,000 visitors can visit Taj Mahal, Swarnkar said.
Tickets will be sold in a similar manner for Agra Fort.

3. The monuments will be closed to the public on certain days on the week
The Taj Mahal will remain closed on Friday (its usual weekly closure day), as well as Sunday—the weekly restriction day across the state, as imposed by the government.
Agra Fort, however, will be closed to the public only on Sunday.

4. There will be strict adherence to Covid-19 safety protocols

Safety protocols against the spread of COVID-19 will followed while allowing the tourists inside the monuments. The visitors will be thermally checked and will be asked to sanitise their hands and will be required to maintain physical distancing at all times while inside the monuments.
The monuments will be sanitised from time to time.

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