Daily Times

The Taj Mahal and other centrally protected monuments – which were closed two months ago in the wake of the second wave of Covid-19 – will be reopened on June 16, an ASI official said. Visitors will be able to book entry tickets online and no offline booking facility will be available, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said. “Considering the prevailing situation, it has been decided that all the Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites and Museums shall be opened from 16.06.2021,” MoS for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel said in an order. With the second wave of Covid-19 making its presence felt, the government had ordered the closure of all centrally protected monuments and museums, including Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Ajanta Caves, on April 15. An order to this effect was issued by the ASI and later tweeted by Union Culture Minister Prahlad Patel. “Due to the prevailing COVID situation, it has been decided to close all centrally protected monuments, sites and museums under the ASI with immediate effect and till May 15 or until further orders,” the ASI said.