6 months after Covid lockdown, tourists say ‘Waah Taj’ again

AGRA: After a gap of 188 days, the Taj Mahal, the top tourist attraction in the country, opened to the public on Monday. The response was lukewarm as only 1,235 tourists, including 20 foreigners, visited the Mughal-era monument on Monday amid strict Covid-19 safety protocoland social distancing norms. The Archaeological Survey of India has allowed only 5,000 tourists per day as against a daily average of over 25,000 tourists visiting the Taj in pre-Covid times. It stretched to nearly a lakh during festivals. The Agra Fort, which too had been closed since the lockdown began in March, also reopened on Monday to a tepid response with only 248 tourists visiting the historic fort. Officials are hopeful that the footfall may go up in the days ahead after international flights become operational. A few visitors had to be turned back as their body temperature was found higher than normal. A video of a woman tourist arguing with a staff member at the gate claiming that her body temperature was higher due to hot weather, went viral on social media. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandant (Taj Mahal) Rahul Yadav said, “SOPs are being followed by all personnel. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits have been provided to security persons involved in frisking tourists at the entry gate.”