Foreign tourists will now have to pay Rs 1,100 while domestic tourists will shell out Rs 40
According to ASI, foreign tourists will now pay Rs 600 + toll tax for other world heritage monuments
Many feel that the recent fee hike is deplorable as facilities for tourists have not improved
An all-inclusive ticket for Indian citizens into the Unesco world heritage complex, which includes entry into the Taj Mahal built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, was raised from 50 rupees (55p) to 250 rupees. The price rise came into effect on Monday.
International tourists will pay roughly $19 to enter the site in northern India, up from $16.
“We want people to pay more to limit the footfall,” a spokesperson from the Archaeological Survey of India, the government body responsible for upkeep, told AFP. “This will cut down the number of visitors to the mausoleum by at least 15-20% and generate revenue for its conservation,” the spokesperson said.