Now, an entry fee to visit the Rashtrapati Bhavan

You can now use the e-payment gateway to book your tour of the Presidential Palace.

Among the highlights of President Pranab Mukherjee's first year in office was the opening up the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the public.

On August 1, Omita Paul, Secretary to the President launched a system for online collection of registration charges for booking of Rashtrapati Bhavan tours.

(Who is Omita Paul? Read here!)

According to a press statement released by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, charges for the tour will be Rs 25 per visitor per visit while visitors in a group of 30 persons will be charged Rs 600 per visit.

Those travelling in groups of more than 30 persons will be charged Rs 600 for 30 visitors and Rs 25 per visitor per visit for additional persons. Children below the age of 12 years will be exempt from registration charges, the release said.

According to the statement, the online booking system for tours of Rashtrapati Bhavan was started on January 1 this year. Since then, over 47,000 persons have visited the Presidential Palace using the system.

Visitors are required to book for tours are one month in advance and bookings for September 2013 are currently open.

These charges are aimed at maintaining the Palace and improving its services to public and can be paid at the reception prior to the tour.

Last year, the 'Change of Guard' ceremony was opened to visitors as part of a series of initiatives to allow public greater access to what is inarguably the most recognisable building in India.

Earlier, the Presidential Palace was open for tours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. However the schedule has now been changed to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as part of a move to make the exclusive resident more accessible to the public. The timings of too have been extended from two hours in the morning and evening to a blanket 9am to 4pm.

Besides opening more areas to the public such as the erstwhile Vice-Regal Lodge, parts of the estate have been restored and the library has recently been renovated.

The 340-room main building that houses the President's official residence, halls, guest rooms and offices is located in a 320-acre President Estate that dwarfs America's White House that is spread over a mere 18 acres.

Construction on the palace designed by architect Edwin Lutyens started in 1912 and was completed in 1929.