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Taj by night: Tickets to view the marble wonder now available online only
Offline sales of tickets for the night viewing of the Taj will stop in a day or two, once teething troubles (if any) are sorted out, ASI sources said.
The Archaeological Survey of India has begun issuing tickets online for the night viewing of the Taj Mahal, from Monday. So far, tourists could only buy the ticket at the window at ASI office in Agra: that too, a day in advance.
Offline sales of tickets for the night viewing of the Taj will stop in a day or two, once teething troubles (if any) are sorted out, ASI sources said.
In November 2022, the Supreme Court had modified its 2004 order and allowed online booking of tickets for night viewing of the Taj. Now, visitors can view the Taj Mahal on full-moon nights, two days before it, and two days after the new moon phase. The order came after an Interlocutory Application (IA) was filed.
One of the petitioners, the Agra Development Foundation (ADF) through its secretary, KC Jain, a lawyer from Agra, welcomed the availability of online tickets for night viewing.
Jain said, “Viewing the iconic Taj on moonlit nights has now become easy as the Supreme Court modified its earlier order passed in 2004 which required computerised electronic tickets to visitors 24 hours in advance. The viewers were required to buy such tickets from the office of the ASI at 22, Mall Road, Agra.”
The gates of the Taj Mahal used to remain open all through the night till the 1980s but due to security concerns, the gates of the monument had to be closed after dark. Years later, tourist organisations sought permission for night viewing and the SC permitted viewing of Taj Mahal in restricted batches of 50 tourists each on full moon night and two nights before and after it. Eight such batches of 50 tourists were allowed in a night as such maximum 400 tourists could view the Taj in a single night.
The ADF secretary further said, “The new online system of availability of the tickets to visit Taj in moonlit nights has come as a great respite. It will increase the night stay of tourists and will also enhance the ASI revenue.
Visitors cherish seeing the Taj at night and have a unique experience. Now, they can book tickets online without having to overstay in Agra a day in advance. The new online ticket system will also avoid unpleasant experiences of tourists buying tickets at the ASI counter.”
‘The facility for online ticket viewing has begun from today (Monday), and tickets can be booked days before viewing. The ticket can also be bought the same day, subject to availability” said RK Patel, the ASI chief in Agra.
