India closes Taj Mahal, other tourist sites as it steps up measures to control coronavirus

India’s top tourist attraction draws up to 8 million tourists a year, and officials said it was crucial to close it temporarily

Offices in Mumbai are working at 50 per cent staffing levels, while authorities stamp the wrists of those ordered to self-isolate

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Visitors wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus have their picture taken outside Taj Mahal in Agra, India, following its temporary closure. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:11pm, 17 Mar 2020Updated: 11:59pm, 7 Apr 2020

India closed the Taj Mahal, its top tourist site, and the financial hub of Mumbai ordered offices providing non-essential services to function at 50 per cent staffing levels as efforts to control the spread of coronavirus in South Asia ramped up.

Mumbai, a densely populated metropolis of 18 million, also authorised hospital and airport authorities to stamp the wrists of those who have been ordered to self-isolate with indelible ink reading “Home Quarantined” and displaying the date until which the person has been ordered to self-quarantine.

The moves, announced late on Monday, come just days after authorities in the city shut down schools, cinemas, malls, gyms and banned mass gatherings.

Juhu beach in Mumbai is deserted. Photo: AFP

India’s western state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, has been the hardest hit in India with 39 confirmed coronavirus cases.

India on Tuesday recorded its third death due to coronavirus in the western state of Maharashtra, according to the federal health ministry. The country has so far 126 confirmed cases of coronavirus, of which 22 are foreign nationals.

Tourism ministry officials said tens of thousands of people visit the Taj Mahal, or “monument to love” daily, and it was crucial to close the site temporarily.