The government has decided to restrict the number of visitors to Taj Mahal at 40,000 per day in order to preserve the beauty of the historical monument. Millions of tourists mainly Indians, visit Taj Mahal every year but the number is continually increasing due to the convenience and easy connectivity. However, the experts claim that large crowds lead to more wear and tear of the 17th-century tomb.
It’s already a known fact that the monument’s white marble is turning yellow by each day which demands an urgent treatment. The white marble must be protected against the air pollution and other harms so as to prevent the pressure building against the foundation of the Taj.
As a result, on the proposal of Archeological Survey of India, the government decided to cap the number of Indian visitors at 40 k per day. Another measure to manage the crowd by ASI is to reduce the visit duration to 3 hours. Reports by ASI suggest that every day 35,000 to 40,000 people visit the monument but the number shoots up to 60,000 to 70,000 during weekends and holidays.
In fact last Thursday, a stampede-like situation was also created at the Taj Mahal gate. Besides, the tourists spend hours inside the complex which makes the situation worse. So in the future, there will be just 40,000 visitors allowed to visit the monument in a day, giving an exception to the foreign tourists who pay INR 1,000 just for the entry fee.
Apart from controlling the footfall and restricting the visit duration, ASI has also come up with another measure. Separate entry tickets have been suggested for those who want to visit the crypt which contains the replicas of the graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The ASI had even restricted entry of visitors to the crypt on Sunday but after receiving complaints, the ban was lifted.
