820 centrally protected ASI monuments having places of worship open from 8th June: Prahlad Singh Patel

Union Minister for Culture & Tourism (I/C), Prahlad Singh Patel announced that Culture  Ministry has approved the opening of 820 centrally protected monuments under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) which have places of worship from 8th June 2020. Minister Patel also said that all the protocols issued by the MHA and the Health Ministry will be followed in these monuments.

In its order, Culture Ministry said that ASI shall ensure that preventive measures as stipulated in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, on 4.6.2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the religious places/places of worship are effectively put in place and scrupulously followed while opening and managing these Centrally Protected Monuments. ASI shall also further ensure that it follows all other directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India in this regard.

Ministry of Culture also requested ASI to share the list of these 820 CPMs proposed to be opened on 8.6.2020 with respective States and the Districts concerned and that any state and/or district-specific orders with regard to containment and prevention of the spread of COVID- 19 are also comprehensively implemented.