Travelers visiting the Taj Mahal will no longer be able to spend an entire day enjoying this magnificent mausoleum.
You will now be charged additional fees by authorities of the Taj Mahal if you spend more than three hours there.
In an effort to keep track of tourists entering and leaving, seven turnstiles have been installed at the east and west entry points. Five of the seven turnstiles are exit-only.
In recent years, a few rules have been introduced at the Taj Mahal to preserve this Unesco World Heritage site. Authorities limited the number of visitors per day to 40,000 in 2018 and in that same year, prices were raised from about $16 to $19 for international visitors.
The superintending archaeologist, Vasant Swarakar, spoke to the Times of India about how the fees would work: “If tourists exceed their time limit of three hours, they will be charged an extra amount equivalent to the ticket, which will have to be paid at the exit gate. Entry time will also be enforced and if tourists don’t arrive at the slotted time, they will not be allowed entry and will have to buy a new ticket.”
Tourists have been expressing their annoyance with the new time limit. Many people travel from all over the world just to take in the view of the Taj Mahal.
“A person comes here for relaxation and to spend some time. If the sightseeing is limited to three hours and the charges are so much then anyone will think twice before coming here,” says tourist, Mohammed Mustafa Hussain to India Today.
The Taj Mahal is known as one of the most popular tourist sites in the world.