Lokmat News Network
Aurangabad, Aug 3:
Here is good news for the visitors and tourists, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI, Aurangabad Circle) has announced free entry to visitors at all monuments and museums in its jurisdiction from August 5 to 15, to commemorate the 75 years of India’s Independence Day.
The ASI directorate issued the order to all the concerned officers on August 3. The letter duly signed by the Director (Monument) N K Pathak stated that no fee shall be charged at all the centrally protected monuments/archaeological sites and remains specified in the second schedule of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959 and all the Archaeological Site Museums during the above period (11 days).
Five ticketed sites in the district
Five ticketed monuments, including the world heritage sites Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi ka Maqbara and Aurangabad Caves, are situated in the district. The ASI collects Rs 40 as an entry ticket from each domestic tourist and Rs 600 from each foreign tourist at Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. Meanwhile, the entry ticket is Rs 25 for each domestic tourist and Rs 300 for each foreign tourist at Daulatabad Fort, Bibi ka Maqbara and Aurangabad Caves. The sixth ticketed monument of ASI (Aurangabad Circle), Pandav Leni Caves is in Nashik district.
Free entry on IWD
Earlier, the ASI headquarters had announced free entry for all visitors to all its protected monuments and museums, to commemorate International Women's Day, on March 8, 2022.
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Is it free for foreign visitors as well?
“The order issued by the ASI headquarters will boost the traffic at all the monuments during 11 days. However, the order does not mention that entry to all the ticketed monuments is also free to foreign visitors, apart from domestic visitors, during this period. Had the ASI offered free entry to foreign visitors also, then it would have conveyed a good message and helped developing a good impression of our and its heritage sites,” said a tourism expert.