Indian Government restricted 40,000 visitors at Taj Mahal Daily

Indian Government restricted 40,000 visitors at Taj Mahal Daily

A landmark decision was taken in a meeting attended by senior bureaucrats, officials of Archaeological Survey of India, police and paramilitary officers has decided that starting January 20, only 40,000 Indian tourists will be allowed to visit the Taj Mahal per day, but there will be no daily limit on the number of foreign tourists.

This decision came due to increase in the number of visitors to three or four fold especially during weekends and festivals. It is a serious concern as the weight on the main platform of the Taj Mahal increases to its capacity. For example, on the Diwali weekend in 2014, 1, 50,000 visitors had visited the Taj Mahal. Such numbers can harm the 17th-century monument’s foundations, officials of Archaeological Survey of India have frequently warned.

The officials later conveyed the decision to Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma. The decisions taken at the meeting had been brought to his notice and final approval would come “in a day or two”.

At present, there is no provision for tickets for children below 15 years of age, so there is no exact headcount of them. With the induction of ‘zero’ value ticket, their entry will remain free but it would help maintain a proper headcount. The limit on visitor numbers will be put in place on the lines of the railway ticket booking system. Regardless of whether visitors buy tickets online or offline, the sale of tickets will be stopped for the day when the number reaches 40,000. Visitors can buy tickets in advance.

It was also decided that a new ticket priced at Rs 100 would be introduced for those wanting to enter the main crypt as well as see the rest of the Taj. For tourists not interested in the crypt, the entry ticket would cost Rs 50, up from the current Rs 40. While 20,000 Indian tourists will be allowed in the “first slot”, from sunrise to 12 noon, the next batch will be allowed entry from noon till sunset. High-value tickets priced at Rs 1,000, meant for foreigners, will have no cap, which means that Indian travelers unable to buy the Rs 50 tickets can still see the Taj if they buy the more expensive tickets.