With coronavirus cases in the country rising gradually, the Minister of Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel has announced that all ticketed monuments and museums in India will be closed till March 31.  

This includes Taj Mahal, which recently hosted American Prime Minister Donald Trump.

Smithsonian Mag

Speaking on the coronavirus scare, Minister of Health, Harsh Vardhan had earlier told the media that Taj Mahal was a major reason of concern, owing to the footfall it witnesses, and that the government had a ‘containment plan’ for Agra. 

Reports suggest that every day, around 50,000 people visit Taj Mahal, one of the most famous monuments in the world.

Frommers

Which is not ideal keeping in mind the rate in which coronavirus is getting spread across the globe. 

It is noteworthy that this is reportedly the first time in history that Urs of Shah Jahan will be cancelled. For 3 days of Urs, there used to be events for the visitors and no entry fee was charged from them. 

Indian Express

India currently has 125 COVID-19 patients and has reported 3 deaths in Karnataka, Delhi and Mumbai.