New Delhi: Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel has announced that 10 monuments managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and other committees will be kept open till late to attract more tourists, Hindustan Times reported.
These monuments include Humayun’s Tomb whose visitors will be able to spend time in the sprawling complex till 9 p.m.
Another Delhi monument, Safdarjung’s Tomb also features in the list. Bijapur’s Gol Gumbaz, Sheikh Chilli’s Tomb in Kurukshetra, Bhubaneswar’s Rajarani Temple Complex, Khajuraho’s Duladeo Temple, Varanasi’s Man Mahal, Rani-ki-Vav stepwell in Gujarat’s Patan, a cluster of monuments in Karnataka’s Bagalkot, a UNESCO Heritage site, and a clutch of temples in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district make up the list.
The new plan will be implemented in the next few days and will be put in place for an initial term of three years.
The minister added that the few temples in the list, which are not manned by the ASI, were included due to their popularity. The temples are run by different temple management committees.
ASI’s most popular monument, the Taj Mahal, did not find a mention on the list. The 17th-century monument premises, though, is open for midnight tours five days every month -- on full moon nights and two nights before and after it.
Historian Sohail Hashmi welcomed the move but said the government should strive to keep monuments open around the clock.
“The government also needs to ensure that the monument or heritage site is sufficiently lit, has adequate security and has the basic amenities of a functional toilet and eateries in the complex,” he said.
