This incident happened yesterday.
I had gone with some of my friends to see Taj Mahal. We were entering from the West End Gate. A huge queue awaited us as soon as we reached there. As soon as we joined the queue at the end, we were surrounded by agents who said that for 350 rupees they can get us entry in 5 mins. In true marketing spirit they went about saying that it will take 3 hours if we continue waiting for our turn.
Because of the latest commitment I had made to myself of never paying any bribe ;) the emotions changed rapidly from being enraged about such a thing happening at THE TAJ MAHAL! , to being embarrassed in front of the foreigners at such a thing happening, to being responsible:P and asking deepakar to click some photos of this incident and getting something done about it. More mental agony awaited when I saw a friend of mine negotiating with 1 such person ( I was mistaken of-course :) ).
While standing in the queue I was wondering how such kind of security loop-hole is possible at a WORLD HERITAGE SITE, when my friend (the one who was talking to the tort) came upto me and told me that there are 2 other gates ( later on I realised they are called East End and South End) which are relatively less crowded and all these guys do is take you to those gates and leave you there. In case these gates are also crowded they just leave you there! While I was relieved at that time that there is no scandal of any sorts and right now I find it funny how Indians find clever ways of making quick bucks I still wonder why the security/tourism agencies don't do anything about it. I think it is a shame for all of us when Foreign Tourists get mugged in such a manner.
As for the time it took us to get in, it was hardly 15 mins. So a word of advice if you go to Taj Mahal, be in a hurry at your own risk :)
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Comments
They all have a tie-up or they live in the threat whatever u say
As what happens in any Driving license issuing authority or any other governmental agencies where you always find agents to get the work done, or at many places in bangalore where we find illegal parking fees collected, everyone including government is always aware of these things, but the fact of the matter is that they all have a tie-up, from the lowest level to the top level, everyone is corrupt, if not, he has to remain shut, that's the way it works here.
Good, you reported such an incident, may be you can take it to a step further by complaining against it, or may be getting it published in some newspaper to bring this incident in the eyes of people, we may hope, something can be done.