Reopen tourism sites near Aurangabad: Guides write to Maha CM

An association of tourist guides in Aurangabad in Maharashtra has written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding that monuments here be reopened for visitors as the shutdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak had brought many to the brink of "starvation". Hence, the government must reopen the monuments for visitors," he said.

An association of tourist guides in Aurangabad in Maharashtra has written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding that monuments here be reopened for visitors as the shutdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak had brought many to the brink of "starvation". In its letter, the Ajanta Guides Association has said several monuments in this part of the state were closed since March 17 and the people dependent on tourism were jobless and in severe distress.

"There are 68 registered guides and each person is losing around Rs 20,000 per month as monuments etc are closed due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. We are facing starvation," AGA joint secretary Syed Abrar Hussain told PTI. "The world heritage sites of Ajanta, Ellora Caves, Devgiri (Daulatabad) Fort etc are far away from Aurangabad city (which has COVID-19 cases). Hence, the government must reopen the monuments for visitors," he said.