Now, Taj Mahal open to tourists at 6 am
AGRA As the night curfew has been relaxed by two hours, tourist can now catch a glimpse of the Taj Mahal soaked in light of the rising sun. Monuments, including the Taj Mahal, are now to open at 6 am with entry permitted for tourists till 6.15 pm.
“The corona night curfew used to end at 7 am but now the timings have been relaxed and it would end at 6 am, allowing opening of Taj Mahal an hour earlier,” informed Vasant Swarnkar, superintending archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India, Agra Circle.
“Monuments all over the nation open with sunrise and get closed at sunset but till recently the night curfew stalled this. Now that the night curfew ends at 6 am, the tourists can get inside the monument an hour earlier,” said Swarnkar.
“However, because of weekend curfew monuments would remain closed on Saturday and Sunday and open only for five days a week,” he said..
Taj Mahal remains closed on Friday also because of weekly closure. So tourists get opportunity to view it only for 4 days i.e. from Monday to Thursday.
Replying to a question about demand for offline ticket also at Taj Mahal, the ASI official clarified that tickets would be available online only as sale of offline tickets might lead to assembling of tourists at ticket window.
“We have made QR Code available at standees placed all through the route from parking to monument for booking of online ticket. Beside this, a system manager is stationed at the entrance of the Taj Mahal to help those unable to book ticket online,” he said.
Tourism related bodies in Agra are demanding opening of Taj Mahal on week end, when most people coming through Agra-noida and Agra-lucknow Express Ways visit monument.