JOIN USSolar energy to light up Taj
A proposal to this effect will soon be prepared by the authorities and sent to the Union power ministry, according to a top Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) official in Agra.
ASI Superintending engineer in-charge of Taj Mahal, Dr A R Siddique said that a team of the Union power ministry had recently visited Taj Mahal and mooted the idea of energising the place with solar energy.
“The ministry team has sought the details about the requirement of the power load and other things”, Siddique said. The idea for using solar energy to light up Taj was mooted after the officials put forward a proposal to lay new power lines for the building.
Proposal
He said that a proposal containing the required power load and other details would soon be sent to the power ministry for necessary action.
Energising the Monument of Love with the solar energy would ensure round-the-clock, clean and eco-friendly energy for the building, he said.
Siddique said the officials were considering to introduce solar powered vehicles to carry the visitors closer to the 16 th century wonder of the world.
“These solar powered vehicles will be for the physically challenged people and and will bring them closer to the Taj Mahal so that they do not have to walk all the way up to the Taj gate”, he said.
The vehicle could carry four passengers in one go, Siddique added. At present battery operated vehicles are allowed to ferry visitors near to the Taj gates.
Keeping in view the dangers posed to the Taj Mahal building by increasing pollution, the officials always encourage any step which could make the environment around the Taj cleaner and pollution free.
Keeping this in mind plying of petrol and diesel powered vehicles have been completely prohibited around the Taj.