Despite Centre's Nod, UP Refuses To Open ASI Monuments Housing Places Of Worship

The Union Tourism and Culture Ministry on Sunday gave a green signal to the opening of over 800 Archeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monuments which house places of worship from Monday, including 14 in Agra, but the district administration has decided against the opening of them.

As the Taj City of India continues to remain in the COVID-19 red zone due to rising cases, the Agra authorities have decided to keep the Taj Mahal and mosques in its premises closed. Agra has so far reported 967 cases and most deaths at 50.

The authorities in Agra have decided that all the 14 monuments, listed by the Culture Ministry to be opened in the city from June 8, will remain shut. These included places of worship near and in Taj Mahal premises — the Fatehpuri Masjid on the south-west corner of Taj Mahal’s entrance, the mosque inside its complex and the Kali Masjid near it, Great Idgah, Humayun Masjid, Jami Masjid among others.

All 3,691 ASI-protected sites were shut on March 17 in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, including the Taj Mahal marking the longest closure of the monument in its 372 days.

Union Minister for Culture & Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel said that the Ministry has approved the opening of 821 certain monuments and that all the protocols issued by the MHA and the Health ministry would apply in these monuments.

आज संस्कृति मंत्रालय ने भारतीय पुरातत्व सर्वेक्षण विभाग के संरक्षित ८२० सक्रिय गतिविधियों वाले स्मारकों को ८जून से खोलने की स्वीकृति दी है।गृह एवं स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय के नि्र्देशो का पालन हो यही अपेक्षा है @PMOIndia @BJP4MP @incredibleindia @MinOfCultureGoI @BJP4India @

— Prahlad Singh Patel (@prahladspatel) June 7, 2020

According to a list of 821 monuments released by the Ministry, 114 were in the North region, 155 in Central, 170 in West, 279 in South and 103 in East.

See the list of living monuments