State-level guides get relief in Fatehpur Sikri, ASI guides cannot stop them from work
Agra: The long-standing tussle over guiding rights at Fatehpur Sikri has finally been settled, with the Regional Tourism Officer (RTO), Agra, clarifying that state-level guides have full authority to conduct guiding at both the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri.
In a fresh order, the RTO stated that it is “inappropriate” for ASI-recognised guides to obstruct state-level guides from carrying out their duties. “They should not be unnecessarily harassed at any level,” the officer said in the directive.
The move comes after a complaint submitted on August 1, where state-level guides alleged that ASI guides were preventing them from operating at Fatehpur Sikri despite their valid licences. These licences, originally valid from April 2024 to April 2025, were recently extended by the government till April 2026.
The RTO underlined that, as per the government order dated June 3, 2025, all state-level guide licences are valid across notified monuments. Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India have also been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
Copies of the order have been forwarded to the Director General, Tourism, Lucknow and the Agra District Magistrate.
Following the decision, state-level guides have expressed relief, saying they now expect to work without discrimination or conflict with ASI guides.
