After anunprecedented lockdown that lasted almost 3 months, monuments, including theTaj Mahal and Delhi's Red Fort will be reopened for visitors from Monday. Thedecision to reopen the Taj Mahal and other ASI protected monuments for visitorsfrom July 6 was taken by the Union Culture Ministry and was welcomed by the tourismindustry captains in Agra.

While the industryhas started making preparations, a few doubting Thomases and some healthactivists wondered if "itas a little early and premature as the COVID-19infection spread has not yet been effectively checked."

Union CultureMinister Prahlad Singh tweeted Thursday that ASI monuments could now be openedtaking necessary precautions and full safety measures.

Meanwhile, socialactivist Shravan Kumar Singh asked, "When trains are not running andinternational flights have not resumed, from where and how the tourists willcome to Agra which does not boast of international standard healthinfrastructure."

The ASI officials,however, have clarified that entry would be allowed with a set of restrictionslisted in the SOPs which will need to be strictly followed by the tourists.

To give momentum totourism, which had been badly hit due to the Covid-19 scourge, local hoteliershave demanded resumption of flights to Agra, starting international flights andconnecting Agra with important destinations within the country. The touristseason generally starts in the last week of September.

Right now all bighotels are carrying out maintenance and repair work. The properties have beensanitised and hygiene standards upgraded to meet international requirements.

Akhilesh Dubey, atourism industry captain, who had demanded that the monuments be opened aspeople were suffering economic hardships due to the four month-closure, said"it will not be risky, provided they frame SOPs, fix the number ofvisitors. When airports, malls, hotels can reopen why not monuments. Agraremains a favoruite weekend destination for domestic visitors. People come toAgra by taxis and private cars. The reopening will create confidence amongstakeholders and boost tourism. The Eiffel Tower has also reopened on June25."

The Taj Mahal isannually visited by over seven million tourists. Entry to children below 15 isfree. On the recommendation of the Dr. S. Vardarajan Committee, the SupremeCourt allowed the Taj Mahal to enjoy a weekly holiday on Friday.

The 100-day respitehas healed the scars and wounds inflicted on the fragile monument by air pollution.The whole complex looks fresh and rejuvenated, waiting to welcome guests.

The ArchaeologicalSurvey of India (ASI) has decided to allow only 5,000 visitors daily, 2,500 inthe morning shift and 2,500 post-lunch. Face covers and social distancing wouldbe compulsory. Group photography will not be permitted. Monuments in the containmentzones will remain closed.

The Taj Mahal,India's most visited monument, was closed in the last week of March, due tosurge in Covid-19 cases. This was the first time in the monument's almost375-year-old history that the doors were shut to visitors, for over 100 days.During the 1971 war with Pakistan, the Taj was closed for 15 days. In 1978,visitors were not allowed for almost a week due to flood in Yamuna.

Meanwhile, risingCovid-19 cases continued to cause worry. Twelve fresh cases were added in thepast 24 hours taking the total tally to 1,253. The number of deaths is now 89,with one more added on Thursday.

The number of activecases is 130. The sample size was 24,054, health department bulletin said.

The tally forFirozabad is 522, Mathura 385, Mainpuri 258, Etah 140 and Kasganj has 77 coronacases.