NEW DELHI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- India has thrown open all its ticketed heritage monuments free for all women visitors on Sunday on the occasion of the International Women's Day, the country's Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel announced on Saturday.
The monuments made available without tickets for the women include the world famous Taj Mahal, which normally charges 1,100 Indian Rupees (about 16 U.S. dollars) per head from foreigners and 540 Indian Rupees (about 8 U.S. dollars) from the nationals of the SAARC (the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and BIMSTEC (The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries.
The minister said this small gesture would be their small tribute to the women power of the world.
He also said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was fully committed towards the safety and security of women visiting its monuments. Baby care and Feeding Rooms were inaugurated by him at the premises of Taj Mahal in August last year, and subsequently similar facilities were set up at various monuments across the country.
In order to provide safe and convenient visitor experience to the women to its monuments, the ASI had made various other provisions, including clean toilets, women security guards, separate entry and exit for women, added an official statement by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
