World Heritage Week: Tourists flock Taj Mahal, other monuments after ASI exempts entry fee. Details here

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Sunday exempted the entry fees at all its protected monuments including the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, Kos Minar at Fatehpur Sikri, and Red Fort in Delhi for one day on the commencement of World Heritage Week, ANI reported.

Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, witnessed a huge surge in the number of visitors today as the entry fee waiver made this architectural marvel more accessible to a wider audience. However, the entry fee for the main mausoleum of the Taj Mahal was not exempted.

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The ASI decision to offer free entry on Sunday met with immense enthusiasm from tourists, who eagerly flocked to the iconic monuments to experience their grandeur, the report said.

"It is fascinating to visit Agra Fort for free. It is very incredible and exciting," A visitor from Poland told ANI while sharing his experience.

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"Today we came from Jaipur. We came with family. Though the main mausoleum of the Taj Mahal was not exempt from the entry fee, we enjoyed its grandeur, ANI quoted Manan Saini, a domestic tourist who was visiting Agra, as saying.

"We are happy that today we were exempted from the entry fee," Chanchal Saini, a tourist from Jaipur reported as saying.

The news agency quoted Sahil from Pune who welcomed the ASI decision to exempt the tourists from entry fees at the commencement of World Heritage Week. He was happy after visiting the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.

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"It was great visiting the Taj Mahal today. After coming here, we learned that entry tickets are free. We enjoyed the day." Neeraj Roy and Satyam, visitors from Morena, Madhya Pradesh told ANI.

World Heritage Week is celebrated every year from November 19 to November 25.

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There are at present over 3, 650 ancient monuments and archaeological sites protected by the ASI. These monuments belong to different periods, ranging from the prehistoric period to the colonial period and are located in different geographical settings. They include temples, mosques, tombs, churches, cemeteries, forts, palaces, step-wells, rock-cut caves, and secular architecture as well as ancient mounds and sites which represent the remains of ancient habitation.