Rajasthan opens up monuments, museums but no footfalls yet

After over two months of closure due to the coronavirus lockdown, monuments and tourist attractions in Rajasthan have reopened. But there hasn’t been any footfalls yet.

Tourism stakeholders have welcomed the government decision to allow reopening of these places but are also concerned as the pandemic continues to rage.

“On the first day of reopening, we organised a cultural performance by folk artistes at 32 monuments in the state including in capital city. It was to mark the reopening of the monuments,” Prakash Chandra Sharma, Director, Department of Archaeology and Museum, told PTI.

He said that domestic tourists mostly visit these places during the summer season and they can be expected in the next few days. Folk artistes performed at the historic Hawa Mahal, the Jantar Mantar and the Albert Hall in Jaipur and in other districts, he said.

There are a total of 342 monuments, including 18 museums, under the department and 32 of them are ticketed.

Starting June 1, monuments, except those falling in the containment or curfew areas, will open four days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) and social-distancing protocols will be followed.

For the first two weeks of the month, tourists will be allowed from 9 am to 2 pm in the first week and from 9 am to 1 pm and then 3 pm to 5 pm in second week. They will open daily from the third week.

Entry to the 32 ticketed monuments is free in the first and the second week, and 50% ticket amount will be charged from third week.