NEW DELHI: The tourists visiting the Taj Mahal will have to shell out extra from April 1 as the government has decided to introduce Rs 200 charge for seeing the main mausoleum and also raised the entry fee to Rs 50 from Rs 40.
Speaking at a media briefing, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said the changes have been effected to “preserve the Taj Mahal” and for a better crowd management, reports PTI.
As of now, there is no separate fee for entry to the main mausoleum.
“We need to preserve the Taj Mahal for the generations to come. New ‘barcoded’ tickets would cost Rs 50 instead of the earlier Rs 40 and it would be valid only for three hours,” said Sharma.
“A separate ticket of Rs 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.”
Sharma further stated 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.