India limits visits to Taj Mahal to 3 hours per person

Ben Westcott
By Edwin Thomas and Ben Westcott, CNN
Updated 5:02 AM EDT, Fri March 30, 2018
Crowds gather to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra on January 3, 2018.
Crowds gather to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra on January 3, 2018.
DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
CNN  — 

One of India’s most famous landmarks, the Taj Mahal, is planning to place a three-hour cap on visits to avoid overcrowding at the popular tourist location.

The enormous white marble tomb, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can attract at least 50,000 visitors a day on the weekend, according to a spokesman for the Archaeological Survey of India, which oversees the Taj Mahal.

“Sometimes people end up spending a whole day at the Taj. This creates a situation where there are too many people,” the spokesman D N Dimri told CNN.

“It is being implemented so that the movement of visitors can be regulated. Day by day, the number of visitors are increasing. This is to ensure no untoward incidents or accidents occur.”

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He added there had been no incidents due to overcrowding at the site.

The Taj Mahal was built in the 17th century by Muslim Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to honor his third wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth. It was completed in 1648.

Currently it draws at least seven million visitors every year and was recently described by Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam as “India’s pride.”

The cap will come into place from April 1 and will apply to both local and international visitors, Dimri said.

<strong>India's most beautiful places -- Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand:</strong> Discovered by a mountaineer in 1931, the valley -- hidden among the high Himalayan mountains with the Zanskar Ranges in the backdrop -- is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The valley comes alive with blossoms during hotter months. The best time to visit is between July and October. Click through the gallery to see more of India's most beautiful places.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Flickr Alosh Bennett/Creative Commons
India's most beautiful places -- Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand: Discovered by a mountaineer in 1931, the valley -- hidden among the high Himalayan mountains with the Zanskar Ranges in the backdrop -- is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The valley comes alive with blossoms during hotter months. The best time to visit is between July and October. Click through the gallery to see more of India's most beautiful places.
<strong>Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan: </strong>Built in 1799 as an extension of Jaipur's Royal City Palace,<strong> </strong>Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, was originally designed to allow royal women to see street scenes without being seen.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan: Built in 1799 as an extension of Jaipur's Royal City Palace, Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, was originally designed to allow royal women to see street scenes without being seen.
<strong>Nubra Valley, Ladakh:</strong> One of India's most breathtaking areas, Ladakh is home to towering mountains and deep valleys. The Shyok River cuts through Nubra Valley, which lies in the northernmost part of Ladakh. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/24/travel/bara-bangal-remote-himalayan-village/index.html" target="_blank">READ: Bara Bangal: A Himalayan village on the path of Alexander the Great</a>
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
ALEX OGLE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Nubra Valley, Ladakh: One of India's most breathtaking areas, Ladakh is home to towering mountains and deep valleys. The Shyok River cuts through Nubra Valley, which lies in the northernmost part of Ladakh. READ: Bara Bangal: A Himalayan village on the path of Alexander the Great
<strong>Adalaj Stepwell, Adalaj, Ahmedabad: </strong>The epitome of<strong> </strong>Indo-Islamic architecture and design, Adalaj Stepwell is a five-story stepwell dating back to 1499. All the walls are intricately carved with patterns, such as flowers and birds, as well as mythological scenes.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Adalaj Stepwell, Adalaj, Ahmedabad: The epitome of Indo-Islamic architecture and design, Adalaj Stepwell is a five-story stepwell dating back to 1499. All the walls are intricately carved with patterns, such as flowers and birds, as well as mythological scenes.
<strong>Agatti, Lakshadweep: </strong>Located 460 kilometers off the coast of Kochi, tiny Agatti Island is part of Lakshadweep -- India's smallest union territory. Its white sands, diverse coral reefs and turquoise waters make it the ultimate beach getaway, though tourists need to get a special permit to visit.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Marka/Universal Images Group Editorial/UIG via Getty Images
Agatti, Lakshadweep: Located 460 kilometers off the coast of Kochi, tiny Agatti Island is part of Lakshadweep -- India's smallest union territory. Its white sands, diverse coral reefs and turquoise waters make it the ultimate beach getaway, though tourists need to get a special permit to visit.
<strong>Dal Lake, Srinagar:</strong> Known as the "jewel in the crown" of Indian-administered Kashmir, Dal Lake is a Srinagar must-visit. Lined by beautiful gardens and snowcapped mountains, the lake is best toured while riding a traditional wooden shikara, Srinagar's version of the gondola.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images
Dal Lake, Srinagar: Known as the "jewel in the crown" of Indian-administered Kashmir, Dal Lake is a Srinagar must-visit. Lined by beautiful gardens and snowcapped mountains, the lake is best toured while riding a traditional wooden shikara, Srinagar's version of the gondola.
<strong>Sam Sand Dunes, Jaiselmer, Rajasthan: </strong>Sam Sand Dunes, lying in the outskirts of Jaiselmer, is one of the most accessible parts of the Great Thar Desert -- or the Sahara of India. A camel-back tour during the golden hours -- either sunrise or sunset -- offers the best views and experience.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Sam Sand Dunes, Jaiselmer, Rajasthan: Sam Sand Dunes, lying in the outskirts of Jaiselmer, is one of the most accessible parts of the Great Thar Desert -- or the Sahara of India. A camel-back tour during the golden hours -- either sunrise or sunset -- offers the best views and experience.
<strong>Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu: </strong> Picturesque Kanyakumari -- formerly known as Cape Comorin -- sits at the tip of the Indian mainland in the far south. It's home to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, located offshore on a small rocky island and dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, a holy saint.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Bhaswaran Bhattacharya/ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu: Picturesque Kanyakumari -- formerly known as Cape Comorin -- sits at the tip of the Indian mainland in the far south. It's home to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, located offshore on a small rocky island and dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, a holy saint.
<strong>Munnar, Kerala: </strong>Known for its rolling hills and tea plantations, Munnar is a serene hill station of India's southern state of Kerala. It's also home to Anamudi Peak, the highest peak in south India and the largest population of Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered sheep species.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Flickr Julia Maudlin/Creative Commons
Munnar, Kerala: Known for its rolling hills and tea plantations, Munnar is a serene hill station of India's southern state of Kerala. It's also home to Anamudi Peak, the highest peak in south India and the largest population of Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered sheep species.
<strong>Lotus Temple, New Delhi: </strong>This elegant lotus-shaped temple has welcomed more than 70 million worshippers since its opening in 1986. It's one of several Bahá'í Houses of Worship, a religious center of the Baha'i Faith.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Feng Li/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Lotus Temple, New Delhi: This elegant lotus-shaped temple has welcomed more than 70 million worshippers since its opening in 1986. It's one of several Bahá'í Houses of Worship, a religious center of the Baha'i Faith.
<strong>Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh: </strong>No list of beautiful places in India would be complete without the Taj Mahal. The ivory marble mausoleum was built in the 1600s by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who is buried there alongside Jahan.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh: No list of beautiful places in India would be complete without the Taj Mahal. The ivory marble mausoleum was built in the 1600s by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who is buried there alongside Jahan.
<strong>Shekhawati, Rajasthan: </strong>Some of the best preserved <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/12/21/travel/india-haveli-painted-mansions/index.html" target="_blank">havelis, India's lavishly decorated heritage mansions</a>, can be found in Rajasthan's Shekhawati region. Once built as a means of boasting of one's wealth, the facades and interiors of havelis are covered with exquisite and colorful wall murals that depict everything from the owner's travel memoirs to folk mythology. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/03/hotels/india-himalayan-hideaways/index.html" target="_blank">READ: Wonder walls: Inside India's exquisitely decorated haveli mansions</a>
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
courtesy Vivaana Culture Hotel
Shekhawati, Rajasthan: Some of the best preserved havelis, India's lavishly decorated heritage mansions, can be found in Rajasthan's Shekhawati region. Once built as a means of boasting of one's wealth, the facades and interiors of havelis are covered with exquisite and colorful wall murals that depict everything from the owner's travel memoirs to folk mythology. READ: Wonder walls: Inside India's exquisitely decorated haveli mansions
<strong>Chadar Trek, Ladakh: </strong>Dubbed the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/16/travel/chadar-worlds-wildest-trek/index.html">world's wildest hike, Chadar Trek</a> is a route formed by the frozen Zanskar River, connecting the isolated Zanskar village with Leh, Ladakh region's capital city, during winter. The dangerous trek is lined with dramatic landscapes, from frozen waterfalls to half-frozen rapids and caves. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/16/travel/chadar-worlds-wildest-trek/index.html" target="_blank">READ: Chadar: Is this the end for the 'world's wildest trek'?</a>
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Sankar Sridhar
Chadar Trek, Ladakh: Dubbed the world's wildest hike, Chadar Trek is a route formed by the frozen Zanskar River, connecting the isolated Zanskar village with Leh, Ladakh region's capital city, during winter. The dangerous trek is lined with dramatic landscapes, from frozen waterfalls to half-frozen rapids and caves. READ: Chadar: Is this the end for the 'world's wildest trek'?
<strong>Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi: </strong>Declared a World Heritage Site in 1993, the tomb is the final resting place of the 16th-century Mughal Emperor Humayun. It was India's first garden-tomb and inspired the building of other grand mausoleums in the country including the Taj Mahal.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi: Declared a World Heritage Site in 1993, the tomb is the final resting place of the 16th-century Mughal Emperor Humayun. It was India's first garden-tomb and inspired the building of other grand mausoleums in the country including the Taj Mahal.
<strong>The Rock Garden, Chandigarh: </strong>Started as a secret project<strong> </strong>by self-taught Indian artist Nek Chand Saini, the Rock Garden of Chandigarh is now a sprawling 40-acre park drawing visitors from all over the world. Built over the course of 18 years, the park is decorated with sculptures made using recycled industrial and urban waste.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The Rock Garden, Chandigarh: Started as a secret project by self-taught Indian artist Nek Chand Saini, the Rock Garden of Chandigarh is now a sprawling 40-acre park drawing visitors from all over the world. Built over the course of 18 years, the park is decorated with sculptures made using recycled industrial and urban waste.
<strong>Hampi, Karnataka: </strong>The ruins of the last capital of the great Hindu Vijayanagara Empire remain a fascinating attraction today. Inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986, there are more than 1,600 remains in the Hampi complex including forts, temples, royal complexes and pillared halls.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Hampi, Karnataka: The ruins of the last capital of the great Hindu Vijayanagara Empire remain a fascinating attraction today. Inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986, there are more than 1,600 remains in the Hampi complex including forts, temples, royal complexes and pillared halls.
<strong>Basgo Monastery, Ladakh: </strong>With a humble mud-brick facade, Basgo Monastery isn't as popular as other monasteries in Leh. But those making an effort to visit will be treated with colorful wall murals from the 16th century and a 14-meter-tall copper idol of Maitreya Buddha. It's the oldest surviving religious structure of its kind.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Basgo Monastery, Ladakh: With a humble mud-brick facade, Basgo Monastery isn't as popular as other monasteries in Leh. But those making an effort to visit will be treated with colorful wall murals from the 16th century and a 14-meter-tall copper idol of Maitreya Buddha. It's the oldest surviving religious structure of its kind.
<strong>Qutb Shahi Heritage Park, Hyderabad:</strong> This collection of beautiful monuments is the resting place of the fearsome Qutb Shahi family, which ruled the Golconda Kingdom in southern India's Hyderabad region for 169 years in the 16th and 17th centuries. <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/18/travel/hyderabad-restored-tombs-india/">READ: New life for historic tombs of Hyderabad, India</a>
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Ronan O'Connell/CNN
Qutb Shahi Heritage Park, Hyderabad: This collection of beautiful monuments is the resting place of the fearsome Qutb Shahi family, which ruled the Golconda Kingdom in southern India's Hyderabad region for 169 years in the 16th and 17th centuries. READ: New life for historic tombs of Hyderabad, India
<strong>Red Fort, New Delhi:</strong> A UNESCO World Heritage site, New Delhi's Red Fort was the main home of Mughal dynasty emperors for nearly 200 years. One of the city's most popular tourist attractions, it houses a number of museums.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Julian Finney/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Red Fort, New Delhi: A UNESCO World Heritage site, New Delhi's Red Fort was the main home of Mughal dynasty emperors for nearly 200 years. One of the city's most popular tourist attractions, it houses a number of museums.
<strong>Sundarbans, West Bengal: </strong>A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world and lies on a delta at the mouth of the Ganges River. It's spread across areas of West Bengal as well as Bangladesh.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Majority World/Universal Images Group Editorial/Getty Images
Sundarbans, West Bengal: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world and lies on a delta at the mouth of the Ganges River. It's spread across areas of West Bengal as well as Bangladesh.
<strong>Chand Baori, Abhaneri, Rajasthan: </strong>With 3,500 steps in perfect geometric design, Chand Baori is one of the most beautiful stepwells in India. The 1,200-year-old site is open to local residents for a few hours every day.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
ALEX OGLE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Chand Baori, Abhaneri, Rajasthan: With 3,500 steps in perfect geometric design, Chand Baori is one of the most beautiful stepwells in India. The 1,200-year-old site is open to local residents for a few hours every day.
<strong>Bara Imambara, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: </strong>Built in 1784, Bara Imambara is an architectural marvel. It was constructed with an interlocking system of bricks -- without using any girders and beams. The massive arched hall is one of the largest in the world with a roof unsupported by any pillars. The top of the iconic landmark offers panoramic views of the city.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Bara Imambara, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: Built in 1784, Bara Imambara is an architectural marvel. It was constructed with an interlocking system of bricks -- without using any girders and beams. The massive arched hall is one of the largest in the world with a roof unsupported by any pillars. The top of the iconic landmark offers panoramic views of the city.
<strong>Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab:</strong> Harmandir Sahib is a holy complex for Sikhs that includes the signature "Golden Temple," which sits in the middle of a large lake. Reflections of its gold-encrusted dome shimmer in the clear water of the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar), which greets those who enter from the north gate. <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/09/travel/punjab-amritsar-bourdain/">READ: 6 ways to experience India's Punjab region</a>
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
NARINDER NANU/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab: Harmandir Sahib is a holy complex for Sikhs that includes the signature "Golden Temple," which sits in the middle of a large lake. Reflections of its gold-encrusted dome shimmer in the clear water of the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar), which greets those who enter from the north gate. READ: 6 ways to experience India's Punjab region
<strong>Pangong Tso, Ladakh: </strong>It's not easy to visit Pangong Tso -- it's a rough five-hour drive from Leh and a permit is required. But the breathtaking views of the blue lake sitting at the base of the Himalayas make the journey worthwhile. The lake, spanning 134 kilometers and sitting at a height of 4,350 meters, is a natural border between China and India. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/03/hotels/india-himalayan-hideaways/index.html" target="_blank">MORE: India's best Himalayan escapes</a>
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Flickr Alosh Bennett/Creative Commons
Pangong Tso, Ladakh: It's not easy to visit Pangong Tso -- it's a rough five-hour drive from Leh and a permit is required. But the breathtaking views of the blue lake sitting at the base of the Himalayas make the journey worthwhile. The lake, spanning 134 kilometers and sitting at a height of 4,350 meters, is a natural border between China and India. MORE: India's best Himalayan escapes
<strong>Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai:</strong> A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is Mumbai's main railway station. First opened in 1888, it's considered a perfect example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
JTB Photo/Universal Images Group Editorial/UIG via Getty Images
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai: A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is Mumbai's main railway station. First opened in 1888, it's considered a perfect example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
<strong>Jodhpur, Rajasthan: </strong>Jodhpur's blue houses and the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort (in the backdrop) make Rajasthan's Blue City one of the most Instagrammable places in India.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
REBECCA CONWAY/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Jodhpur's blue houses and the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort (in the backdrop) make Rajasthan's Blue City one of the most Instagrammable places in India.
<strong>Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh: </strong>This wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh is spread over 100 square kilometers and is home to more than 50 tigers. The park is open from October to June, but the best time to see tigers is from April to June. <br />
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/LGetty Images
Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh: This wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh is spread over 100 square kilometers and is home to more than 50 tigers. The park is open from October to June, but the best time to see tigers is from April to June.
<strong>Kerala backwaters, Kerala:</strong> The Kerala backwaters are made up of lakes, canals and rivers that stretch down the coast. Traditional houseboats are a great way to take in the local way of life. <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/17/travel/kerala-backwaters-india/">READ: How to experience the beautiful backwaters of Kerala, India</a><br />
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Kerala backwaters, Kerala: The Kerala backwaters are made up of lakes, canals and rivers that stretch down the coast. Traditional houseboats are a great way to take in the local way of life. READ: How to experience the beautiful backwaters of Kerala, India
<strong>Shimla, Himachal Pradesh: </strong>The former summer capital of British India, Shimla sits in the Himalayan foothills. With views like this, it's easy to see why it remains a popular vacation destination today.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
STR/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh: The former summer capital of British India, Shimla sits in the Himalayan foothills. With views like this, it's easy to see why it remains a popular vacation destination today.
<strong>Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu:</strong> Also called "Ooty" for short, the town of Udhagamandalam offers easy access to the Nilgiri hills, which are filled with coffee and tea plantations. One of the best ways to experience the region is by rail. The stunning Nilgiri Mountain Railway connects Ooty and Mettupalayam.
Photos: 30 of India's most amazing places
Frank Bienewald/LightRocket/LightRocket via Getty Images
Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu: Also called "Ooty" for short, the town of Udhagamandalam offers easy access to the Nilgiri hills, which are filled with coffee and tea plantations. One of the best ways to experience the region is by rail. The stunning Nilgiri Mountain Railway connects Ooty and Mettupalayam.

The spokesman said there was no suggestion of a cap on the total number of visitors to the Taj Mahal at this stage, saying it would be wrong to deny people who had come from far away to visit the monument a ticket.

But he said there had been discussions on putting further limits on the “carrying capacity” of the Taj Mahal at a future stage, though he would not elaborate further on what this would entail.