Kathmandu (PTI): Foreigners visiting Nepal's sacred Hindu temple Pashupatinath will now have to pay double the entry fee, according to temple authorities.

The entry fee for foreigners other than Indians has been increased to Rs 500 from the existing Rs 250 from Monday, Pashupati Temple Area Development Trust (PADT) member secretary Paramananda Shakya said.

Indian nationals are exempted from paying the entrance fee as in the past.

"We have never charged Indian visitors because both Nepal and India share cultural and religious identities. They come here as pilgrims, not tourists," Shakya said.

However, The Himalayan Times has reported that the PADT was studying the possibility of introducing an entry fee for Indian visitors to generate more funds.

Pashupatinath temple is one of the seven cultural World Heritage sites in Kathmandu listed by the UNESCO.

More than 300 foreigners visit the temple premises every day. While the number of Nepalese and Indian visitors cross 3,000 during normal days.

"After increasing the entry fee, we will also focus on infrastructure development in the area. We will build more eateries and restrooms of international standard," he said.

The temple management is also planning to make avail the service of guides to the visitors in the area. More areas in the Pashupatinath area have been opened for the tourists starting from tommorow, he said.

However, the restriction to non-Hindus in the main temple complex is unchanged. Additional security personnel have been deployed for the security of foreign visitors, he added.