Agra: Tourists visiting Taj Mahal had to wait in long queues to reach the monument on Saturday due to a shortage of golf carts. Agra Development Authority operates a golf cart facility to help visitors commute from Shilpgram and west gate parking to the east and west gates of Taj Mahal, respectively. The distance from the parking space to the monument is around 800 meters. Anna Joseph, a tourist from France, said, We came to know that a golf cart will take us to the monument. Taj Mahal is a world heritage site, and we expected the best of arrangements here. As per official records, 40 battery-operated golf carts are deployed to transport tourists from parking lots to Taj Mahal. However, a survey conducted by the Taj security police team last month found that only 21 carts were operational. There is an acute shortage of golf carts at Taj. A fully charged cart hardly operates for around five hours as its battery gets drained. At any given time, the majority of carts remain non-operational. The facility is run by a private contractor and lacks proper monitoring by the authorities concerned. Tourists are facing a lot of inconvenience, said Deepak Dan, president of Tourist Guides Welfare Association. With the start of the tourism season in October, the number of tourists visiting the Taj Mahal has increased. As many as 30,426 people visited the Taj Mahal till 5 pm on Saturday, including over 3,000 foreigners. As per records, on average, 10 people ride in one golf cart. On a daily basis, the carts make 466 rounds from the parking lot to the monuments. Of this, only 4,660 tourists can avail the facility. ADA chairman Ritu Maheshwari, said, The process to increase the number of carts has been initiated.We also published the following articles recentlyAgra: Tourists wait long to reach Taj Mahal amid shortage of golf cartsTourists visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, faced long queues due to a shortage of golf carts. The carts are used to transport visitors from the parking area to the monument, but a survey found that only 21 out of the 40 carts were operational. The carts have a limited battery life, making the situation worse on weekends when more tourists visit. Authorities have acknowledged the issue and are taking steps to increase the number of carts and improve the facility.Agras Taj Mahal drowning amid 470 illegal structuresThere are 470 illegal structures, including restaurants and cafes, within a 500m radius of the Taj Mahal in Agra, according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Despite ASI lodging FIRs and issuing demolition notices, local authorities have not taken action to remove these encroachments. A recent ASI report revealed that 248 new illegal constructions have emerged near the protected monument between 2015 and 2022. The ASIs jurisdiction is limited to filing FIRs, while it is the responsibility of the Agra Development Authority and local administration to take action.Fake guide escorts US Navy secretary to Taj Mahal; booked after 11 monthsThe United States Navy secretary, Carlos Del Toro, was accompanied by a fraudulent guide during his visit to the Taj Mahal. An FIR has been filed against the imposter guide, who carried forged credentials. The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. This incident highlights the issue of unauthorized guides and their involvement in misleading tourists and taking commissions from emporiums. The tourism department and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have a limited number of approved guides, but many unauthorized guides can be found at the Taj Mahal on any given day.

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