According to the draft, a copy of which is with PTI, Indians, those from the other SAARC countries and BIMSTEC countries will now have to pay Rs 40 per head (Rs 30 currently) to visit the UNESCO World Heritage properties or category 'A' monuments -- the Taj group of monuments at Agra, the Agra Fort, the Fatehpur Sikri monuments at Fatehpur Sikri, the Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar in Delhi.
For the Red Fort in Delhi, the revised entry fee would be Rs 50 per head (Rs 30 currently) for Indians, those from the other SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) countries and BIMSTEC countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) and Rs 35 for cashless payments.
Those from the other countries would have to pay Rs 600 per head (Rs 500 currently) to enter these monuments, the draft said, adding that in case of digital transactions, the amount would be reduced by Rs 50.
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Others would have to pay an entry fee of Rs 300.
Presently, Indians, citizens of the other SAARC countries and BIMSTEC countries have to pay an entry fee of Rs 15 and other nationals are charged Rs 250 per head.
The Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was tabled in the Lok Sabha on July 18, 2017 by the Ministry of Culture and was passed by the House on January 2, 2018. It is yet to be tabled in the Upper House.
The ASI has invited suggestions and objections to the rules which have to be conveyed to its director general by February 5.
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