If you want to visit India's most loved monument, then keep aside @INR 250--unless you just wish to view the mausoleum from outside, that is. Entry to the Taj Mahal in Agra has just increased fivefold for Indian nationals, taking a massive jump from @INR 50 in the past to @INR 250 now.
The sudden hike in amount is to aim to reduce the overcrowding of visitors, which has been leading to the Taj's structural damage. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal encounters about 70 lakh visitors every year. The price hike, which was suggested by the Archaeological Survey of India, is said to help reduce the number of visitors entering the marble structure, and subsequently, maintain its beauty for a long time.
It isn't just domestic tourists who have to pay extra to enter the mausoleum. Foreign tourists will now have to pay an amount of @INR 1300, while the SAARC citizens will have to pay @INR 740. The amount for entering the premises of the Taj Mahal will remain the same and people can stroll through the magnificent Mughal garden (aka Charbagh) while praising its beauty from a distance.
The 17th-century Mughal architecture found its place in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1983 and is considered as one of the masterpieces of the world's heritage.  If you are a history enthusiast then the price hike won&rsquot matter much to you, because witnessing the epic legacy of this Mughal architecture is well worth the money.