People planning to visit the Rashtrapati Bhawan and its newly opened museum can book tickets online from next month onward.
Entry to the new museum at the Bhawan is currently free for visitors.
Beginning November 1, a nominal registration fee of Rs 25 per visitor will be charged. Bookings for the new museum post November 1 is now available through the Rashtrapati Bhavan website and a new SBI e-payment system gateway for this purpose was inaugurated yesterday by Omita Paul, Secretary to the President.
"The e-pay system will provide access through net banking from 27 banks including State Bank of India (SBI) and its associate banks. It will also give access to the common service centre wallet through which people from villages and remote parts of the country can book visits to Rashtrapati Bhavan," an official release issued today said.
The online payment facility for Rashtrapati Bhavan visit was launched on August 1 last year. 56,000 payments have since taken place using the online system.
Around 1,86,522 visitors have toured Rashtrapati Bhavan from January 4 to September 28 this year.
About 10,099 persons have visited the new museum from July 31 to September 28.
Visitors individually or in a group of less than 30 persons will be charged Rs 25 per visitor per visit. Those in a group of 30 persons will be charged Rs 600 in lump sum per visit, it said.
Visitors in a group of more than 30 persons will be charged Rs 600 for 30 visitors and Rs 25 per visitor per visit for additional persons, the release issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
Children below the age of 12 years will be exempt from registration charges, it said.
"These charges are meant to enable Rashtrapati Bhavan maintain and improve services to public. Registration charges can be also paid at the reception of Rashtrapati Bhavan prior to the tour," the release said.
