Visitors may not be allowed to touch Taj Mahal

Monument of love affected by pollution: House panel

In another four months, visitors to the Taj Mahal are likely to be stopped from touching the mausoleum or sitting in its sprawling courtyard using the marble structure as the backrest.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is installing wooden and glass barricades for managing thousands of people that daily visit the “monument of love”.

The physical touch by billions is believed as one of the contributing factors behind the historic monument losing some of its sparkling white shine.

“The ASI is working on regulating the visitors to the Taj Mahal,” Ashwini Kumar, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forest, said here on Wednesday.

The survey has shared its Rs 5.5 crore Taj Mahal work plan with the House panel that reviewed the upkeep and maintenance of the world heritage site. By the end of September 2015, the ASI would put in place wooden barricades to protect the ornate marble work. In addition, glass barricades would also be brought in to guard the marble work and inlay inside the mausoleum. Together, these two projects cost Rs 1 crore.

According to the ASI work plan, the entire cleaning up operation would be completed by 2018. This includes scientific treatment and cleaning of four minarets, pedestal wall; interior of the mausoleum up to a human height; the facade and finally, the central dome, the pinnacles and four canopies on the top of the minarets.

Restoration of the pathways, ornamental structures, queue management and putting a net to prevent bird’s entry are other steps that the ASI would undertake for keeping the monument clean. “We asked for a written commitment for the first time and the ASI has given us a time-bound action plan,” Kumar said.

Taking note of a study carried out by two researchers from Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur, the House panel said the protected monument continued to be affected by the pollution despite four government authorities monitoring its health.

Notwithstanding the 1996 order of the Supreme Court, the schemes meant to protect the Taj Mahal are not being fully implemented in the spirit of the court’s order. The Ministry of Environment, Taj Trapezium Zone Authority, UP Pollution Control Board and the ASI are the government agencies looking after the monument.

“The fact remains that pollution has increased, taking a toll on the Taj– a symbol of national pride and heritage. The sorry state of affairs clearly indicates that the concerned authorities have failed to discharge their duties,” the panel said in its report.