The world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora caves, as well as three other historical monuments in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district, will reopen for tourists on Thursday, following an improvement in the Covid-19 situation. On Wednesday, the Aurangabad district Disaster and Management Authority (DDMA) issued an order to reopen these historic sites. They’ve been closed for more than three months due to an increase in Covid-19 cases.
The district administration, however, has set a limit of 2,000 tourists per day at each of the five monuments, including Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, Aurangabad Caves, and Daulatabad Fort, in two morning and afternoon sessions.
Tickets can only be purchased online now, and visitors are expected to follow the Covid-19 pandemic guidelines.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) announced the reopening of all centrally protected monuments, sites, and museums on Wednesday, citing a steady decline in the number of coronavirus positive cases.
Temples and other religious places under the ASI’s jurisdiction, on the other hand, will remain closed in the district. According to the official, the Covid-19 case positivity rate in Aurangabad city has dropped to 0.45 percent, while it is 4.27 percent in the district’s rural areas.
“We looked at the number of tourists who visited the five monuments listed above, as well as the case positivity rate. Tourists will be able to visit these monuments again starting June 17. The ticket booking will continue to be done online. In the coming days, guides and others working near these monuments will be subjected to RT-PCR tests. For those who have been fully vaccinated, however, this test is not required “Added the official.
