Taj Mahal ticket price hiked fivefold for Indians

NEW DELHI: Authorities have hiked fivefold ticket prices for Indian visitors to the Taj Mahal, in the latest attempt to lower tourist numbers and reduce damage at the country´s top tourist site.

Indians make up the majority of the Taj Mahal´s 10,000-15,000 average daily visitors. Nearly 6.5 million people marvelled at the white marble 17th-century masterpiece in 2016. An all-inclusive ticket for Indian citizens including 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 ($0.70) to 250 rupees. International tourists will pay roughly $19 to enter the UNESCO World Heritage complex in northern India, up from $16.