Taj introduces 200 fee for main mausoleum, also hikes entry fee

Govt to introduce 200 charge for seeing main mausoleum `

In an effort to “preserve” the Taj Mahal, tourists visiting the historic monument will have to shell out extra money from April 1 as the government has decided to introduce ` 200 charge for seeing the main mausoleum and also raise the entry fee to ` 50 from ` 40. As of now, there is no separate fee for entry to the main mausoleum.

Culture minister Mahesh Sharma on Tuesday told reporters that the changes have been effected to “preserve the Taj Mahal” and for a better crowd management. “We need to preserve the Taj Mahal for the generations to come. New ‘ barcoded’ tickets would cost ` 50 instead of the earlier ` 40 and it would be valid only for three hours,” said Mr Sharma.

“A separate ticket of ` 200 will be needed to enter into the main mausoleum at the Taj Mahal to ensure the protection of the area and better crowd management,” he said.

The minister pointed out that a recent report by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute ( NEERI), which had conducted a study on Taj’s load- bearing capacity, had recommended immediate steps to reduce the number of footfalls into the mausoleum to protect its integrity.

“We thought capping the number of tourists per day was not a viable option, but we had to do something. The hike in prices is not to generate revenue, but to ensure that only people who are genuinely interested enter the area,” the minister said.

The Supreme Court recently directed the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a vision document on the preservation of the monument within four weeks.