E-ticketing for Taj Mahal to begin soon

Agra, March 24: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will soon begin e-ticketing at the three gates of the Taj Mahal.

Zero-value tickets would also be issued to children under 15 years of age, ASI Superintending Archaeologist NK Pathak told PTI.

Pathak was responding to suggestions made by Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development Ram Shankar Katheria to Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma in a letter sent yesterday.

Katheria, who is also the local BJP Lok Sabha member from Agra, has demanded drastic changes in the management of the Taj Mahal, the 17th century Mughal monument of love in Agra which is the country's number one tourist attraction.

In his letter, Katheria has asked for video surveillance of the world heritage monument and the surrounding locality of Taj Ganj, to secure the monument from external threats.

The minister has suggested installation of turnstile gates at the entrances to ensure one person entered at a time and each person was recorded.

Katheria said the earlier decision to introduce no value tickets for children below 15 years of age and those who enter for prayers on Friday, should be immediately implemented to keep track of the total number of visitors to the Taj.

He also suggested reduction in entrance ticket rates during non-peak hours and lean days.

Katheria wanted video surveillance in the red, yellow and green zones through the 4G lines already laid by Reliance. A central monitoring unit could keep an eye on it.

On February 24, minister Mahesh Sharma had paid a surprise visit to the Taj Mahal and had promised a series of changes.

KC Jain of the Agra Development Foundation told PTI that a delegation will soon meet the union tourism minister in Delhi to demand early implementation of the suggestions.

PTI