Your visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the World and world heritage site Taj Mahal is likely to get costlier as the Agra administration has decided to hike the entry ticket price for both foreign and domestic tourists.
Indian tourists currently pay Rs 50 as entry fee for the monument, while foreign tourists shell out Rs 1100 to enter the monument. Under the new price hike, Indian tourists will now have to shell out Rs 80 to enter the monument while foreign tourists will have to pay Rs 1200 to enter the Taj Mahal.
In addition to this, the Agra Development Authority (ADA) will be charging Rs 200 from tourists who wish to enter the main dome. This is separate from the Rs 200 that the ASI currently charges from tourists.
"Agra Development Authority (ADA) has proposed to charge Rs 200 to enter the main dome, separate to Rs 200 already charged by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)," Agra Divisional Commissioner Amit Gupta was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Taj Mahal ticket prices likely to increase for tourists. Indian tourists currently pay Rs 250; foreign tourists pay Rs 1300.
"ADA has proposed to charge Rs 200 to enter main dome, separate to Rs 200 already charged by ASI," said Agra Divisional Commissioner Amit Gupta (15.03) pic.twitter.com/eNrk9p0VGU
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 15, 2021
The revised fare hike for the entry fee to the historic Taj Mahal is likely to come into effect from April 1, 2021.
As per the new fares, domestic tourists wishing to enter the main dome will be charged Rs 480 while foreign tourists will be charged Rs 1600 for the same.
The proposed hike of the entry ticket to the Taj Mahal has surely upset tourists and even tour guides.
"If prices surge, it would cause inconvenience to Indian tourists to see their own heritage. We used to pay Rs 50 to visit the main dome. If it increases again, footfall of Indian tourists will decrease," a tourist said.
"Firstly Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) increased the prices, now Agra Development Authority (ADA) has also proposed while no new features or facilities have been incorporated for the tourists. They are just increasing taxes," complained a tour guide.
After the imposition of the lockdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taj Mahal and other important monuments in Agra re-opened for tourists in January this year. Tickets to see this world heritage site can be bought at the site or on the official website or app of the Archaeological Survey of India.