Bibi Ka Maqbara, Ajanta & Ellora see tourist rush on reopening

AURANGABAD (PTI):

The Bibi Ka Maqbara, a 17th-century monument here in Maharashtra, received 540 visitors on the first day of opening after the COVID-19-induced lockdown, while the world-famous caves of Ajanta and Ellora together saw nearly 450 tourists, officials said on Friday.

These tourist hotspots along with other popular monuments in this central Maharashtra district reopened on December 10 after being closed since March-end due to the lockdown, which has now been eased to a large extent.

Ticketing is being done online to avoid crowding and tourists started visiting the monuments on the very first day of their reopening, an official said.

However, tourist guides who depend heavily on these popular monuments for their livelihood were still to see a pick up in their business.

"Most tourist guides at these monuments were somewhat unlucky to get assignments on day one as none of the guides from Ajanta had assignments on Thursday.

"Ony two guides got assignments at Ellora," said Syed Abrar, joint secretary, Ajanta Guides Association. (PTI)

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