Roughly 60,000 vacationers visited the Taj Mahal on January 1, 2024, and with the year-end vacation season approaching, one other surge in guests is anticipated. To handle the growing crowd, the Agra police are planning to limit car motion within the yellow zone, the realm surrounding the Taj Mahal.
Vacationers on the Taj Mahal on the primary day of 2024. (HT FILE)
On common days, the Taj Mahal draws15,000 to twenty,000 guests, with attendance declining in the course of the sweltering summer time months however growing considerably in the course of the peak vacationer season from October to March. Throughout this six-month interval, thought of excellent time for tourism, each day customer numbers usually surpass 25,000 to 30,000, in line with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officers.
December, nonetheless, witnesses a big surge in guests over the last ten days of the month. With colleges closing for winter holidays, staff utilising their remaining go away, and Christmas festivities encouraging international journey, the Taj Mahal emerges as a favoured vacation spot for a lot of to kick off or conclude the 12 months, they added.
“We are prepared for the anticipated rise in tourist inflow during the final fortnight of the year,” stated Syed Areeb Ahmed, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Taj Safety.
“A designated ‘paryatak path’ (tourist route) has been mapped out to divert visitors from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) away from Agra’s congested city roads. Tourists will be encouraged to use the inner ring road, which connects the Yamuna Expressway to the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.”
Agra’s visitors woes usually intensify on weekends, with an extra 10,000 vacationer automobiles flooding the town. These automobiles generally congest Yamuna Kinara Street, particularly within the evenings when guests make their head house.
“The inner ring road leads directly to Shilpgram, the designated parking area for the Taj Mahal, allowing tourists to bypass traffic congestion,” defined Ahmed. “Additionally, vehicles heading to the Taj Mahal will be organised at designated points, including Purani Mandi crossing, which is within walking distance of the monument.”
Eight spots throughout the yellow zone across the Taj Mahal are being designated as “No Halt Zones”, the place auto-rickshaws and different three-wheelers might be prohibited from stopping close to the monument. As a substitute, could have entry to golf carts to achieve the gates. Bike-borne visitors sub-inspectors (TSIs) will patrol the realm to make sure the no-halt laws.
“We are working closely with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to streamline crowd management at the eastern and western gates of Taj. All seven queue channels will be fully operational, and a comprehensive crowd management plan will be implemented on weekends and during the Christmas-to-New-Year period,” added ACP Ahmed.
Final 12 months, on December 23, over 40,000 tickets had been offered, each on-line and offline. On January 1, 2024, one other 10,000 tickets had been offered. Youngsters underneath 15 years of age are exempt from entry charges, guests wishing to entry the primary mausoleum—house to the graves of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal—should buy an extra ticket for ₹200. On the primary day of 2024, over 7,000 guests opted for this additional ticket.