Chennai: If you are planning a visit to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monuments this summer for a cool respite while gaining some insight into the past by seeing history unfold before you, then stuff your wallet with extra wad of currency.
The ASI has steeply hiked the visitors’ entrance fee doubling it to Rs 500 for foreigners and at Rs 30, three times more for Indians. The new structure for the ticketed monuments, which has come into effect from April 1, however spares children up to the age of 15 years from being levied.
For the 32 World Heritage Monuments, the ticket price has been hiked to '30 from Rs 10 for the Indian visitors, while the entry fee for foreigners has been increased to Rs 500 from Rs 250. Those from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries are treated on par with Indians and are charged accordingly.
The ASI has 120-ticketed monuments including 32 World Heritage Sites in the country and ten ticketed monuments including a museum and two World Heritage Sites in Tamil Nadu. The Union tourism and culture ministry had announced a three-fold increase in entry fee at all designated monuments.
For the Fort Museum here and other structures other than world heritage sites, the rates have been increased to Rs 15 from Rs 5 for Indians and Rs 200 from Rs 100 for foreigners. The revision in fares comes after 15 years. Besides the World Heritage Sites of the Group of Monuments of Mahabalipuram and Chola Temple – Brhadisvara, the state accounts for Rajgiri & Krishnagiri Fort, Gingee, Dindigul Fort, Muvar Koil, Kodumbalur, Rock-Cut-Jaina Temple, Sittannavasal, Natural Cavern Called Eladipattanam,
Sittannavasal, Thirumayam Fort, Rock-cut Siva temple, (Satyagirisvara temple), Rock-cut Vishnu temple (Satyamurthi Perumal temple) and St George
Fort, Chennai (where the fort museum is situated).
