Aurangabad, Nov 6:
The Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation ( ATDF ) today urged the superintending archaeologist (Archaeological Survey of India - Aurangabad Circle) to re-open the monuments in and around Aurangabad for tourists and assure the tourism service providers will take all safety measures, maintain hygiene standards and social distancing norms in terms of Covid-19.
The letter issued by the chairman of ATDF''s Public Relations & Civil Aviation Committee, Sunit Kothari, stated that Aurangabad is the “Tourism Capital of Maharashtra” and it is the gateway to the prominent monuments including two world heritage sites - Ajanta and Ellora Caves. The monuments in the jurisdiction of ASI are closed for the last seven months due to the pandemic situation. If the ASI re-opens the monuments, the tourism industry will gain momentum and would boost the economy as well as support hundreds of livelihoods (directly and indirectly). The business of hotels and restaurants, car and coach rental companies, tour operators, travel agents, guides, souvenir shops, arts and handicrafts shops, handloom product shops, highway foot joints etc. have come to a standstill. The staff working with these tourism service providers had also been affected badly as their livelihood is dependent upon tourist arrivals.
The life of artisans, performing artists, musicians, technicians, drivers, cleaners etc. had also been affected. All the above tourism stakeholders are now fully exhausted of their financial savings and are finding it difficult to sustain their livelihood by each passing day.
The letter mentioned that the most visited monument Taj Mahal had been re-opened in Agra with all Covid – 19 precautions and measures. Many other states had also re-opened the monuments. Hence kindly re-open the monuments, and all the tourism stakeholders will follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) and adhere to it. Tourism is the only sector which now needs the immediate and urgent attention of the government and the administration in unlocking the situation, stated the letter.