TravTalk India Online Magazine
Sunil C Gupta, Chapter Chairman, IATO – Northern Region, shares why it is necessary to lift the capping on number of tickets at the Taj Mahal in Agra, an absence of which is currently leading to chaos, and how the new metro project in Agra would help tourists access more monuments at the destination.
Nisha Verma
Sunil C Gupta shares that the capping of the number of tickets at the Taj Mahal is only leading to chaos. Speaking on the same, he shares, “While Taj Mahal is an iconic monument for India, it’s sad that we have mismanaged it and now there is a cap of 2500 tickets for morning and afternoon. This has created unnecessary shortage of tickets, panic, fear, chaos and frustration amongst the tourists. It is totally unwarranted and impractical.”
Requesting the tourism minister to revoke this rule, he says, “We humbly request our dear Tourism Minister and DG ASI to review this as there is no need for any cap because the visitor numbers are hardly five per cent of pre-COVID times. It only sends a wrong message to tourists and this is also counterproductive to the efforts of Ministry of Tourism. It is a very simple decision to rectify, which will take five minutes from the ministry and this cap will be removed or increased. This will also take care of the problem of black marketing, hoarding and tourists crying that they get frustrated that when they come to Agra they have to return without seeing the Taj Mahal. It’s a very small solution to the issue.”
Gupta says that the Taj Mahal was supposed to open on September 6, a decision which was taken by the Central Government in August, but was eventually delayed by the local administration owing to safety reasons. “However, now we are in November, and the ground reality has changed. Agra has a population of 15 lakh and now in the entire district, the cases are hardly 20-40 per day. This needs to be reviewed, since Agra depends heavily on tourists and we get huge number of international tourists, which is not happening now. Hence, now we are dependent only on domestic tourists, and they are not able to purchase tickets in advance. Also, there are many rural visitors who come at the last minute and are not aware that they have to purchase tickets online. There are others who drive down from Delhi and if they reach in the afternoon, they are told that the tickets are not available, which cost only `50. This shortage of tickets is now creating a law and order problem, as the tickets are being hoarded and black-marketed. Hence, this issue needs immediate attention and the cap should either be removed or increased to 20,000-30,000 as per the government. We need to remove such hurdles for the revival of tourism,” he suggested.
Sharing his view on the current status of tourism, he said that as associations they have tried their best to convince the government for help. “However, we have limited hope now of having any direct financial assistance from the government. They have eased visa for certain categories, but unfortunately, tourists have been left out of it. Hence, tourist visa needs to be allowed and it should be e-visa. In addition, international commercial flights need to resume and then we as an industry will do our best to survive, struggle and bring the tourists to India and show our Incredible India to foreigners,” he said.
On the inauguration of construction of Agra Metro Project by the Prime Minister, Gupta said, “Now tourists will be able to easily visit monuments. The Metro will also ease traffic. This Metro is going to be world-class and will be better than the ones in Lucknow and Noida.”
