Those wanting to see the main mausoleum at the Taj Mahal will need to buy an additional ticket of Rs. 200 from Monday. Vasant Swarnakar, Archaeological Survey of India's chief archaeologist in Agra, said domestic visitors will have to pay Rs. 250 and foreign visitors Rs. 1,300 to see the main mausoleum at the 17th-century monument.
The visitors from SAARC countries will have to pay Rs. 740 instead of Rs. 540. The new ticketing system will help reduce the footfall on the main structure. Visitors who buy the Rs. 50 ticket would not be allowed to enter the main mausoleum, but would be able to move around the Taj and see the rear side, the Yamuna river front at the back.
The Taj Mahal is considered one of the finest specimen of the Mughal architecture. In 1983, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
Earlier as well, many actions have been taken to protect the monument as it works as one of the major contributor of tourism in India. Infact, The Taj Mahal in Agra and the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai have made it to the list of most visited and popular tourist landmarks in the Top 10 TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice awards of 2018. With over 80 lakh visitors per year, the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra has been recognised as the second best UNESCO world heritage site in the world as well.
Taj mahal definitely works as a wonder to attract tourists again and again as its beauty is unmatchable. While it looks beautiful at all times of the day, the best views are at dawn or dusk, when the crowds have gone and the lighting reveals its true majesty,
(With PTI inputs)
