India's leading iconic tourist attraction, the Taj Mahal will soon be accessible through online tickets as the tourism authorities aim to reduce the long queues on the sight.

The new e-ticketing feature will also address the issue of unscrupulous ticket touts. Tourists often complain about long waiting times at ticket counters and get troubled by various unauthorised dealers. Indian government's agency Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said that that the new feature will address the issue. ASI will trial e-ticketing from 25 December for one month and will study visitors' feedback and take steps to technical difficulties.

The authorities will offer the tickers online but the tourists will be able to buy tickets outside the monument. The ticketing on the internet will allow the authorities to calculate the exact number of tourists visiting the monument and might also limit the number of tickets sold each year. According to data, about six million people visit the monument each year.

Meanwhile, The Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Wisconsin, the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur and the Archaeological Survey of India collaborated to conduct a study to determine the impact of pollution on the monument. They study said that the pollution is affecting the monument and turning it dull. Steps are required to be taken to address the issue.