AGRA, Feb 5: In an effort to prevent tampering of entry tickets in the Taj ,the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) plans to do away with the sale of general tickets at the Taj Mahal, and issue only e-tickets from all counters situated at the monument.
ASI officials said a meeting in this regard has been scheduled next week and very soon only e-tickets will be sold from Taj counters.
The e-ticket is equipped with an advanced quick response code (QR code) which can be read by a software installed in smartphones.
With the abolition of the old system, tourists will no longer have to wait in long queues as they can buy tickets sitting at homes. Ticket reselling is also expected to become difficult with the new system, officials said.
Sources said a meeting was conducted this week wherein senior officials from ASI and IRCTC, the government body entrusted with running the facility, reviewed the newly launched service and decided to go ahead with abolishing the sale of general tickets altogether.
It has also been learnt this move has come after the minister of tourism Mahesh Sharma directed the ASI to make e-tickets available at the other two gates as well. ASI officials said here today that the department will provide all the facilities to the IRCTC. The catering service provider has sought appropriate space and lease line connection to start the service.
The e-ticketing facility was launched at Taj on December 27 last year from three counters located near east gate of the monument. However, this facility was not extended to other counters located at west and south gates. Besides counters at the Taj Mahal, e-tickets can be brought online in advance by visiting a website created by the ASI for this purpose.
Officials said till the time ASI staffers get training in handling tourists’ entry using bar code readers, IRCTC employees will manage the counters and gates.
(AGENCIES)
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