New Delhi: In a major step towards expanding digital access to India’s rich cultural heritage, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has enabled online ticket booking for over 170 centrally protected monuments and museums on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
The initiative significantly enhances convenience for both domestic and international visitors, allowing seamless booking of entry tickets to some of the country’s most iconic heritage sites through multiple digital platforms. By integrating ASI’s ticketing system with an open digital network, tourists can now access tickets via various ONDC-enabled applications, improving accessibility while promoting transparency and efficiency in public service delivery.
Officials said the move strengthens interoperability across digital systems, ensuring a smoother and more citizen-centric experience. Visitors booking tickets through ONDC platforms will continue to receive existing concessions, including a ₹5 discount for Indian visitors and ₹50 discount for foreign nationals.
Online ticketing also enables visitors to bypass long queues at monument and museum ticket counters, ensuring faster entry and a more hassle-free visit.
The technical integration has been facilitated by NDML (NSDL Database Management Limited), which has onboarded ASI’s complete inventory of monuments and museums onto the ONDC network.
At present, ASI monument tickets are available through platforms such as Highway Delite (web, Android and iOS), Pelocal’s WhatsApp-based ticketing service—which allows users to initiate booking by sending a “Hi” to +91 84228 89057—and Abhee by Mondee (Android and iOS). Several more consumer-facing applications are expected to be integrated with the ONDC network in the coming months.
The initiative marks a significant milestone in leveraging digital technology to enhance heritage tourism while ensuring ease of access, transparency and improved visitor experience at ASI-protected monuments and museums across the country.
