Visitors to Taj Mahal and other monuments will now have to pay extra, as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) raised the entry fee on historical monuments.
While domestic visitors will have to pay an extra Rs 10, the foreign tourist will have to pay Rs 100 more to visit Taj Mahal.
As per the notification of Ministry of Culture, foreign tourists will now have to pay Rs 1100, which earlier was Rs 1000, including Rs 500 toll tax collected by Agra Development Authority (ADA). The domestic tourists will pay Rs 50.
Apart from this, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries' visitors will now pay Rs 540, including Rs 500 as toll tax to visit the monument.
The recent hikes in ticket price have made the place unappealing to most people, said a tourist visiting the Taj Mahal. This is the second hike in the entry fee at Taj Mahal in the past two years. Earlier, the ASI increased the entry fee for its protected monuments in 2016.
The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, is facing several problems. The wooden structure on which the monument rests has weakened. Pollution from nearby factories as well as road traffic has also tarnished the white marble surface.
The iconic "monument of love", which was once considered a reflection of heavens on the earth, now appears dull green due to lack of upkeep.
Taj Mahal is in such a bad shape that the Supreme Court recently came down heavily on the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not doing enough to protect the monument. The apex court even said that authorities should "demolish or restore" the Mughal structure.
