HINDIPAGE ONLINE

AGRA:  The Archaeological Survey of India is ready to launch its online entrance ticket booking to the Taj Mahal from Christmas day.
Tourism personnel in Agra have welcomed the long pending initiative which hoteliers think will curb unauthorised entry, fake ticket selling and other dubious means to gain entry to the world heritage monument.
"The long queues at the booking windows will disappear as advance booking of e-tickets would be available online. The tourists will come armed with identity proof and printout of the tickets..
The Taj Mahal was visited by close to six million tourists in 2013. This year there has been a slight fall in the arrivals, according to industry sources. "But once air traffic increases, as it is most likely to after the announcement by the state government to reduce VAT on aviation fuel in Agra from 22 to just 4 percent, the number of tourists will rise," said Rajiv Tiwari, president of the Federation of Travel Agents Associations officials said the e-tickets would be covered with security features including a bar code. The ASI director general Rakesh Tiwari who visited the Taj Mahal on Wednesday held meetings with officials and gave the go ahead signal.