New Delhi: The Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have decided to open all the Centrally protected monuments except Sun temple at Konark by abiding safety protocols from July 6.
Announcing this, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent charge) Prahlad Singh Patel on Friday said only those monuments and museums which are in the non-containment zone will be opened for the visitors.
All Centrally protected monuments and sites will have to follow the protocols like sanitization, social distancing and others issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Any specific orders of the state government and district administration will also be implemented, he added.
According to ASI sources, the Sun temple at Konark, which was closed to visitors by Puri district administration on March 15 for seven days, will not be opened considering the prevalent COVID-19 situation.
The monuments were closed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Out of total 3,691 Centrally protected monuments under ASI, 820 monuments having places of worship were opened on June 8.