Darpan Singh, Agra
With a view to dealing with the huge tourist influx during the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and also cashing in on the opportunity, the State Tourism Department seems to have finally risen to the occasion. Often accused of adopting a ‘Taj centric’ approach in tourism promotion, the office of the Director General (tourism) has come with plans to promote lesser-known but potential protected monuments in a big way to draw more visitors.
Tourism DG Shushil Kumar has said the existing infrastructural facilities will be improved in view if the Games. Incidentally, HT carried a detailed report, dated June 29, on the State’s preparations for the mega event. Experts in the tourism industry are expecting the number of tourists visiting Agra to go up by several lakhs during the event. However, the hotel industry is not looking well prepared for the boom and is awfully short of adequate accommodations to deal with the ‘historic’ numbers expected in the city of Taj three years down the line.
When contacted by HT on Saturday, a senior government official said, “As part of the plan, local tourism officials have been asked to furnish details of sites which are not being promoted properly. The department plans to prepare publicity materials with information and photographs of lesser known sites.” He said the publicity materials would be distributed at offices and public places and added that online publicity was also in the pipeline.
According to the official, the government may also lure hoteliers to create additional accommodations on their premises for the visiting tourists. Removal of encroachments is also on the agenda. Delhi Gate, Etmauddaula, Sikandra, Ram Bagh and dozens of others have been dwarfed by encroachments. Encroachments threaten to gobble up Babar's Ram Bagh across the Yamuna, Mariam's tomb near Sikandra, Bagh Farzana and Begum Samru's garden. Help of public representatives will also be taken in all these endeavours. The Agra district administration has been informed about the plans.
Incidentally, dozens of lesser-known protected monuments are in a shambles here. The condition of structures like Babar's Ram Bagh or Chini ka Roza, the Jama Masjid of Agra and the tomb of Rasul Shah in Fatehpur Sikri is worsening by the day and they need immediate attention. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been accused of not following guidelines drawn up in various manuals. Some buildings in the Agra Fort complex are still under repair and not open to public. The ASI in the Agra circle has close to 400 protected monuments under its charge. However, a senior ASI official refuted the charges and said all the monuments in the Agra circle were being properly maintained.
Meanwhile, the Central Government has decided to start world-class food streets in Agra and some other cities of the country on the lines of those in Bangkok, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur. Confirming this, a Tourism Department official told HT, “The plan will help draw more visitors and also generated employment opportunities for people in Agra.” It is worth mentioning here that despite Chief Minister Mayawati announcing several schemes on April 15 last year, tourists continue to be a harried lot in the city of Taj because of erratic power supply, drinking water crisis and poor health, sanitation and communication facilities.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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Darpan Singh, Agra
It’s a classic case of honour abroad, disgrace at home. The world renowned Indian and India-related art collection at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) has acquired a rare painting of the Moti Musjid made by the renowned American painter of the 19th century, Edwin Lord Weeks. While the VMFA has recognised the mosque’s brilliance, its condition in the Agra Fort continues to worsen by the day.
The acquisition, made a few days ago, is an oil-on-canvas — done in academic style, but with lots of light in it, with colours that might have been borrowed from an Impressionist palette. The lustrous painting, ‘The Hour of Prayer at Moti Musjid (The Pearl Mosque), Agra, dates from about 1888-89 and is nearly 10 feet wide by almost 7 feet tall. Weeks was awarded a Gold Medal at the 1889 Paris Salon for the work.
Weeks is understood to have made the portrait during his stay at Agra. This was his second of the three visits to India. He was highly impressed by the Indian way of living during his both visits. Weeks (1849-1903) was born in Boston and trained in Paris and was an inveterate traveller. The painting has proved to be a major attraction for art lovers visiting the museum from different parts of the globe. The rare painting has been termed ‘almost a perfect picture, complete in religious sentiment and poetical inspiration.’
Edwin Lord Weeks is one of the most celebrated of the American Orientalists. In 1883, he travelled to India and he was to return again in 1892. He spent two years in India before returning home to Paris. Confirming the acquisition, an ASI official told HT, “His paintings of Indian life gave him fame both in France and America and they became his specialty. More than two dozens of his paintings displayed at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts in Venice depict the days of British Raj in India.”
Of the three Moti Masjids or Pearl Mosques, built during the Mughal era, with the other two being at Lahore and Delhi, the one inside the Agra Fort is most striking. The Agra Fort, built emperor Akbar between 1565-79. Located north of the Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience, the mosque was built in 1654 by Mughal emperor Shahjahan for his members of the royal court. The three marble domes of the mosque rest over the red sandstone walls and seen in totality the structure is inviting. A red sandstone gateway leads into its interior of pure white marble.
However, the mosque continues to be neglected by authorities concerned. A portion of the mosque suffered damages while workers were recently giving it mudpack therapy. Air pollution and natural aging have given the monuments a slightly yellow tinge. To return the renowned monument to its pearly white state, the therpay is being used.
But the restoration of the damaged portion is yet to be done. Not only this, several damages have been witenessed to the palaces of Jahanara and Roshanara, the daughters of emperor Shahjahan, also located inside the Agra Fort. When contacted by the HT on Thursday, an ASI offical admitted to the damages and assured, “A repair work would soon be carried out to resotre the damged portions of the monuments.“
It’s a classic case of honour abroad, disgrace at home. The world renowned Indian and India-related art collection at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) has acquired a rare painting of the Moti Musjid made by the renowned American painter of the 19th century, Edwin Lord Weeks. While the VMFA has recognised the mosque’s brilliance, its condition in the Agra Fort continues to worsen by the day.
The acquisition, made a few days ago, is an oil-on-canvas — done in academic style, but with lots of light in it, with colours that might have been borrowed from an Impressionist palette. The lustrous painting, ‘The Hour of Prayer at Moti Musjid (The Pearl Mosque), Agra, dates from about 1888-89 and is nearly 10 feet wide by almost 7 feet tall. Weeks was awarded a Gold Medal at the 1889 Paris Salon for the work.
Weeks is understood to have made the portrait during his stay at Agra. This was his second of the three visits to India. He was highly impressed by the Indian way of living during his both visits. Weeks (1849-1903) was born in Boston and trained in Paris and was an inveterate traveller. The painting has proved to be a major attraction for art lovers visiting the museum from different parts of the globe. The rare painting has been termed ‘almost a perfect picture, complete in religious sentiment and poetical inspiration.’
Edwin Lord Weeks is one of the most celebrated of the American Orientalists. In 1883, he travelled to India and he was to return again in 1892. He spent two years in India before returning home to Paris. Confirming the acquisition, an ASI official told HT, “His paintings of Indian life gave him fame both in France and America and they became his specialty. More than two dozens of his paintings displayed at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts in Venice depict the days of British Raj in India.”
Of the three Moti Masjids or Pearl Mosques, built during the Mughal era, with the other two being at Lahore and Delhi, the one inside the Agra Fort is most striking. The Agra Fort, built emperor Akbar between 1565-79. Located north of the Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience, the mosque was built in 1654 by Mughal emperor Shahjahan for his members of the royal court. The three marble domes of the mosque rest over the red sandstone walls and seen in totality the structure is inviting. A red sandstone gateway leads into its interior of pure white marble.
However, the mosque continues to be neglected by authorities concerned. A portion of the mosque suffered damages while workers were recently giving it mudpack therapy. Air pollution and natural aging have given the monuments a slightly yellow tinge. To return the renowned monument to its pearly white state, the therpay is being used.
But the restoration of the damaged portion is yet to be done. Not only this, several damages have been witenessed to the palaces of Jahanara and Roshanara, the daughters of emperor Shahjahan, also located inside the Agra Fort. When contacted by the HT on Thursday, an ASI offical admitted to the damages and assured, “A repair work would soon be carried out to resotre the damged portions of the monuments.“
A monumnet of neglect
Darpan Singh, Agra
It’s a classic case of honour abroad, disgrace at home. The world renowned Indian and India-related art collection at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) has acquired a rare painting of the Moti Musjid made by the renowned American painter of the 19th century, Edwin Lord Weeks. While the VMFA has recognised the mosque’s brilliance, its condition in the Agra Fort continues to worsen by the day.
The acquisition, made a few days ago, is an oil-on-canvas — done in academic style, but with lots of light in it, with colours that might have been borrowed from an Impressionist palette. The lustrous painting, ‘The Hour of Prayer at Moti Musjid (The Pearl Mosque), Agra, dates from about 1888-89 and is nearly 10 feet wide by almost 7 feet tall. Weeks was awarded a Gold Medal at the 1889 Paris Salon for the work.
Weeks is understood to have made the portrait during his stay at Agra. This was his second of the three visits to India. He was highly impressed by the Indian way of living during his both visits. Weeks (1849-1903) was born in Boston and trained in Paris and was an inveterate traveller. The painting has proved to be a major attraction for art lovers visiting the museum from different parts of the globe. The rare painting has been termed ‘almost a perfect picture, complete in religious sentiment and poetical inspiration.’
Edwin Lord Weeks is one of the most celebrated of the American Orientalists. In 1883, he travelled to India and he was to return again in 1892. He spent two years in India before returning home to Paris. Confirming the acquisition, an ASI official told HT, “His paintings of Indian life gave him fame both in France and America and they became his specialty. More than two dozens of his paintings displayed at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts in Venice depict the days of British Raj in India.”
Of the three Moti Masjids or Pearl Mosques, built during the Mughal era, with the other two being at Lahore and Delhi, the one inside the Agra Fort is most striking. The Agra Fort, built emperor Akbar between 1565-79. Located north of the Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience, the mosque was built in 1654 by Mughal emperor Shahjahan for his members of the royal court. The three marble domes of the mosque rest over the red sandstone walls and seen in totality the structure is inviting. A red sandstone gateway leads into its interior of pure white marble.
However, the mosque continues to be neglected by authorities concerned. A portion of the mosque suffered damages while workers were recently giving it mudpack therapy. Air pollution and natural aging have given the monuments a slightly yellow tinge. To return the renowned monument to its pearly white state, the therpay is being used.
But the restoration of the damaged portion is yet to be done. Not only this, several damages have been witenessed to the palaces of Jahanara and Roshanara, the daughters of emperor Shahjahan, also located inside the Agra Fort. When contacted by the HT on Thursday, an ASI offical admitted to the damages and assured, “A repair work would soon be carried out to resotre the damged portions of the monuments.“
It’s a classic case of honour abroad, disgrace at home. The world renowned Indian and India-related art collection at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) has acquired a rare painting of the Moti Musjid made by the renowned American painter of the 19th century, Edwin Lord Weeks. While the VMFA has recognised the mosque’s brilliance, its condition in the Agra Fort continues to worsen by the day.
The acquisition, made a few days ago, is an oil-on-canvas — done in academic style, but with lots of light in it, with colours that might have been borrowed from an Impressionist palette. The lustrous painting, ‘The Hour of Prayer at Moti Musjid (The Pearl Mosque), Agra, dates from about 1888-89 and is nearly 10 feet wide by almost 7 feet tall. Weeks was awarded a Gold Medal at the 1889 Paris Salon for the work.
Weeks is understood to have made the portrait during his stay at Agra. This was his second of the three visits to India. He was highly impressed by the Indian way of living during his both visits. Weeks (1849-1903) was born in Boston and trained in Paris and was an inveterate traveller. The painting has proved to be a major attraction for art lovers visiting the museum from different parts of the globe. The rare painting has been termed ‘almost a perfect picture, complete in religious sentiment and poetical inspiration.’
Edwin Lord Weeks is one of the most celebrated of the American Orientalists. In 1883, he travelled to India and he was to return again in 1892. He spent two years in India before returning home to Paris. Confirming the acquisition, an ASI official told HT, “His paintings of Indian life gave him fame both in France and America and they became his specialty. More than two dozens of his paintings displayed at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts in Venice depict the days of British Raj in India.”
Of the three Moti Masjids or Pearl Mosques, built during the Mughal era, with the other two being at Lahore and Delhi, the one inside the Agra Fort is most striking. The Agra Fort, built emperor Akbar between 1565-79. Located north of the Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience, the mosque was built in 1654 by Mughal emperor Shahjahan for his members of the royal court. The three marble domes of the mosque rest over the red sandstone walls and seen in totality the structure is inviting. A red sandstone gateway leads into its interior of pure white marble.
However, the mosque continues to be neglected by authorities concerned. A portion of the mosque suffered damages while workers were recently giving it mudpack therapy. Air pollution and natural aging have given the monuments a slightly yellow tinge. To return the renowned monument to its pearly white state, the therpay is being used.
But the restoration of the damaged portion is yet to be done. Not only this, several damages have been witenessed to the palaces of Jahanara and Roshanara, the daughters of emperor Shahjahan, also located inside the Agra Fort. When contacted by the HT on Thursday, an ASI offical admitted to the damages and assured, “A repair work would soon be carried out to resotre the damged portions of the monuments.“
States vow to combat bandit menace
Darpan Singh, Agra
Top police officials of three states — Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh — have come up with a master plan to deal with bandits unleashing a reign of terror in areas bordering the three stats. At a meeting held at the Agra police lines here on Wednesday, officials discussed the issue at length and also suggested ways to deal with the menace.
They have resoled to work jointly to end the menace once and for all. For the first time, instead of convening a meeting of top police officials, COs and SHOs of the three states attended such a meet and exchanged information for a more effective crackdown in their respective areas. Agra SSP Raghubeer Lal, who also attended the meeting, told HT on Wednesday, “We have resolved to launch a combined combing operation after preparing a list of the most-wanted dacoits.”
Sources said the officials who stressed the need to have a proper system in place to obtain and share information regarding the firepower of dacoits operating from forests and details of those patronising them. The officials felt this would help reign in the bandits. They also resolved to free those abducted and also carry out operations in villages which provide logistical support to bandits at the earliest.
It is to be noted here that around half-a-dozen gangs, including those led by Jagan Gurjar, Kamal Gurjar and Ram Sahay Gurjar, are active in Rajasthan. These gangs have been carrying out their activities in areas of Agra bordering Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Police sources said gangs operating from forest areas in Rajasthan have caused more trouble for the Uttar Pradesh police.
Due to the lack of proper coordination between the police of these three states and a joint strategy in place, police could not do much In case of the infamous kidnapping case of Kheragadh or the abduction of the son of a trader at Chhata in Mathura. The victims had been kept in forests where these gangs reign supreme due to logistical reasons. The meeting also resolved that lack of resources would not be allowed to hamper police operations as all three states would act as a unit.
The gangs which have cause most problems for the police are active in areas of Bharatpur and Dhaulpur of Rajasthan which are not far off Agra. The police stations which will be carrying out operations against these gangs include: Rupwas, Chiksana, Badi, Sahpau, Maniya, Kaulari, Basai and Basai Dang. The police stations of Agra which are affected by the menace and share borders with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are: Jagner, Basai Jagner, Jaitpur, Pinahat, Basauni, Kheda Rathore, Mansukhpura, Fatehpur Sikri, Achhneri and Kheragadh.
Top police officials of three states — Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh — have come up with a master plan to deal with bandits unleashing a reign of terror in areas bordering the three stats. At a meeting held at the Agra police lines here on Wednesday, officials discussed the issue at length and also suggested ways to deal with the menace.
They have resoled to work jointly to end the menace once and for all. For the first time, instead of convening a meeting of top police officials, COs and SHOs of the three states attended such a meet and exchanged information for a more effective crackdown in their respective areas. Agra SSP Raghubeer Lal, who also attended the meeting, told HT on Wednesday, “We have resolved to launch a combined combing operation after preparing a list of the most-wanted dacoits.”
Sources said the officials who stressed the need to have a proper system in place to obtain and share information regarding the firepower of dacoits operating from forests and details of those patronising them. The officials felt this would help reign in the bandits. They also resolved to free those abducted and also carry out operations in villages which provide logistical support to bandits at the earliest.
It is to be noted here that around half-a-dozen gangs, including those led by Jagan Gurjar, Kamal Gurjar and Ram Sahay Gurjar, are active in Rajasthan. These gangs have been carrying out their activities in areas of Agra bordering Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Police sources said gangs operating from forest areas in Rajasthan have caused more trouble for the Uttar Pradesh police.
Due to the lack of proper coordination between the police of these three states and a joint strategy in place, police could not do much In case of the infamous kidnapping case of Kheragadh or the abduction of the son of a trader at Chhata in Mathura. The victims had been kept in forests where these gangs reign supreme due to logistical reasons. The meeting also resolved that lack of resources would not be allowed to hamper police operations as all three states would act as a unit.
The gangs which have cause most problems for the police are active in areas of Bharatpur and Dhaulpur of Rajasthan which are not far off Agra. The police stations which will be carrying out operations against these gangs include: Rupwas, Chiksana, Badi, Sahpau, Maniya, Kaulari, Basai and Basai Dang. The police stations of Agra which are affected by the menace and share borders with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are: Jagner, Basai Jagner, Jaitpur, Pinahat, Basauni, Kheda Rathore, Mansukhpura, Fatehpur Sikri, Achhneri and Kheragadh.
diamond heist planned on PoW!
Darpan Singh, Agra
A bunch of foreigners have planned a massive diamond heist onboard India’s famous luxury train — The Palace on Wheels (PoW). But no one is complaining. Surprised? Well, don’t be. For, it’s a sequence from the Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones-starrer ‘Racing the Monsoon.’ Michael will be shooting the train robbery sequences on the PoW that departs from New Delhi and, during its eight day journey, stops at Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur, and Agra.
When contacted by HT on Wednesday, a senior official confirmed the proposed shooting. He however said, a final nod from the Railways and the Tourism Ministry is awaited.”
Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones are currently in India to finalise locations for a sequel of the 1984 action adventure — ‘Romancing the Stone.’ Douglas, who is also going to act in the movie, a double role, is impressed by India. An aide currently in Rajasthan quoted the Basic Instinct star as saying, “India is making a large impact on the world US, be it culture, design, fashion or films.”
His wife Zeta-Jones, who won an Oscar for her performance in the musical ‘Chicago’, is equally upbeat. She has told a website, “We have been closely following and studying Indian culture and are fascinated by it.” Mumbai-based Percept Picture Company will be co-producing the movie. However, as announced earlier, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s will not be part of the project. She was to initially play the main lead. Catherine Zeta Zones has stepped in place of Aishwarya.
Douglas, who has starred in blockbusters like Basic Instinct, Wall Street and Disclosure, has been in India with the cast and crew and wanted a grand feel about the action adventure movie through the India’s famous luxury train known for a splendid and enchanting royal journey through the bygone era of the erstwhile Maharajas. Apart from Jaisalmer, the movie is also being shot in Mumbai and Kolkata, besides its possible train sequence passing through Agra.
Indian choreographer Shiamak Davar may also be part of the project as he has reportedly approached Douglas and Zeta-Jones to choreograph a sequence in the film. He has been quoted as having said, “I met Michael and Catherine in Davos. I would really like to do the film.” Bourne Identity star Matt Damon is also part of the film.
A crew member said, “The six-month shooting schedule is expected to begin by December this year or early 2009. Michael will remain in India along with his star wife Catherine for the entire shooting schedule of the film to be directed by Steve Carr.” Everything was decided after Douglas chose a few locations in Rajasthan during his recent visit to the state.
If the shooting actually gets underway, it’ll be the first Hollywood film, and third commercial one, to be shot on the PoW. Dev Anand’s Main Solah Baras Ki (1997) and Chiragdeep International’s Talaash (2003) are the two other ones. The train has been used for a number of documentary films too.
A bunch of foreigners have planned a massive diamond heist onboard India’s famous luxury train — The Palace on Wheels (PoW). But no one is complaining. Surprised? Well, don’t be. For, it’s a sequence from the Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones-starrer ‘Racing the Monsoon.’ Michael will be shooting the train robbery sequences on the PoW that departs from New Delhi and, during its eight day journey, stops at Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur, and Agra.
When contacted by HT on Wednesday, a senior official confirmed the proposed shooting. He however said, a final nod from the Railways and the Tourism Ministry is awaited.”
Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones are currently in India to finalise locations for a sequel of the 1984 action adventure — ‘Romancing the Stone.’ Douglas, who is also going to act in the movie, a double role, is impressed by India. An aide currently in Rajasthan quoted the Basic Instinct star as saying, “India is making a large impact on the world US, be it culture, design, fashion or films.”
His wife Zeta-Jones, who won an Oscar for her performance in the musical ‘Chicago’, is equally upbeat. She has told a website, “We have been closely following and studying Indian culture and are fascinated by it.” Mumbai-based Percept Picture Company will be co-producing the movie. However, as announced earlier, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s will not be part of the project. She was to initially play the main lead. Catherine Zeta Zones has stepped in place of Aishwarya.
Douglas, who has starred in blockbusters like Basic Instinct, Wall Street and Disclosure, has been in India with the cast and crew and wanted a grand feel about the action adventure movie through the India’s famous luxury train known for a splendid and enchanting royal journey through the bygone era of the erstwhile Maharajas. Apart from Jaisalmer, the movie is also being shot in Mumbai and Kolkata, besides its possible train sequence passing through Agra.
Indian choreographer Shiamak Davar may also be part of the project as he has reportedly approached Douglas and Zeta-Jones to choreograph a sequence in the film. He has been quoted as having said, “I met Michael and Catherine in Davos. I would really like to do the film.” Bourne Identity star Matt Damon is also part of the film.
A crew member said, “The six-month shooting schedule is expected to begin by December this year or early 2009. Michael will remain in India along with his star wife Catherine for the entire shooting schedule of the film to be directed by Steve Carr.” Everything was decided after Douglas chose a few locations in Rajasthan during his recent visit to the state.
If the shooting actually gets underway, it’ll be the first Hollywood film, and third commercial one, to be shot on the PoW. Dev Anand’s Main Solah Baras Ki (1997) and Chiragdeep International’s Talaash (2003) are the two other ones. The train has been used for a number of documentary films too.
6 yrs on, taj corridor has become a graveyard
Darpan Singh, Agra
The place was once supposed to remind one of Mumbai’s Marine Drive. However, bones, skulls and filth today greet visitors. The Rs 175-crore Taj Corridor Project, that proposed to build a heritage corridor between the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort some six years ago, has now become a huge heap of mud and garbage with the site being used as a graveyard to bury dead bodies and for depositing animal carcasses.
Nobody today in the Uttar Pradesh government is willing to come on record regarding the incomplete project even as the issue has been extensively used to settle personal scores and take political mileage. A Pollution Control Board official admitted, “The site has today become a source of pollution in the Yamuna which flows behind the Taj.” Surprisingly, he said it was the responsibility of the AMC to set things right. A recent visit to the site revealed that it is being used to dump solid wastes which, during rains, find way to the river that is already saturated with pollutants. Though experts say the dry riverbed is a serious threat to the heritage monument, the Government is yet to act.
Ever since its inception, the project drew flak from all quarters, as experts believed any construction on the riverbed might alter the course of the Yamuna and would lead to ecological problems, posing a threat to the Taj Mahal, a world heritage site. “Work on the project began but was immediately stopped in 2003 after judicial and administrative interventions,” recalled an official in the Tourism Department.
Even as the matter has been in court for long with Mayawati facing corruption charges, the site has turned into a graveyard. Surprisingly, despite a court order prohibiting construction around Taj trapezium (the area in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal that has many historical monuments) without proper approval, the project took off.
The project was to come up along the Yamuna, on a platform raised from scooped silt of the river. There was a plan to construct an amusement park, malls, commercial shops, and walkways through dense wilderness to allow tourists take a leisurely stroll in moonlit nights. The corridor was to begin right from Khan-e-Alam, close to the Taj Mahal, and end two kilometres towards the city behind the Agra Fort. It was to be extended later to allow tourists to reach Etmauddaula and Ram Bagh on the other side of the river.
Rs 17 crore was spent, as hundreds of tractors, earthmovers and machines worked round the clock for three months to dig out silt and deposit it on the riverbank to create a new platform, which was laid with Rajasthani stones. But after a hue and cry from conservationists that the corridor would endanger the monument and allegations of large-scale corruption in the project, the central government suspended it in 2003. The filling of the riverbed, experts felt, would narrow the Yamuna, which might put the Taj's foundation under threat. Environmentalists now demand the site be cleaned and greened.
The project is now defunct, and plans are being made to remove the partial construction near the Taj Mahal site and replace it with a low tech forested greenbelt. Even as there is no official word regarding the fate of the project, ASI sources doubt if the Supreme Court would allow anyone to take up the matter of starting construction at the site again. Interestingly, there have been no serious objections to the corridor from the ASI, which oversees all ancient monuments in India. In an order, the SC, however, did not direct the authorities to dismantle the corridor project but called for greening it.
The project was not only a risk for the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort but it had violated the rule prohibiting construction within 300 meters of monuments as it was found the construction work had almost touched the wall of the Agra Fort. Consequently, the heritage status of the Taj Mahal came under threat when the Unesco said it might put the Taj Mahal under 'World Heritage in Danger' list, if it found the new complex would affect the authenticity and integrity of the site and would have a negative visual impact.
The place was once supposed to remind one of Mumbai’s Marine Drive. However, bones, skulls and filth today greet visitors. The Rs 175-crore Taj Corridor Project, that proposed to build a heritage corridor between the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort some six years ago, has now become a huge heap of mud and garbage with the site being used as a graveyard to bury dead bodies and for depositing animal carcasses.
Nobody today in the Uttar Pradesh government is willing to come on record regarding the incomplete project even as the issue has been extensively used to settle personal scores and take political mileage. A Pollution Control Board official admitted, “The site has today become a source of pollution in the Yamuna which flows behind the Taj.” Surprisingly, he said it was the responsibility of the AMC to set things right. A recent visit to the site revealed that it is being used to dump solid wastes which, during rains, find way to the river that is already saturated with pollutants. Though experts say the dry riverbed is a serious threat to the heritage monument, the Government is yet to act.
Ever since its inception, the project drew flak from all quarters, as experts believed any construction on the riverbed might alter the course of the Yamuna and would lead to ecological problems, posing a threat to the Taj Mahal, a world heritage site. “Work on the project began but was immediately stopped in 2003 after judicial and administrative interventions,” recalled an official in the Tourism Department.
Even as the matter has been in court for long with Mayawati facing corruption charges, the site has turned into a graveyard. Surprisingly, despite a court order prohibiting construction around Taj trapezium (the area in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal that has many historical monuments) without proper approval, the project took off.
The project was to come up along the Yamuna, on a platform raised from scooped silt of the river. There was a plan to construct an amusement park, malls, commercial shops, and walkways through dense wilderness to allow tourists take a leisurely stroll in moonlit nights. The corridor was to begin right from Khan-e-Alam, close to the Taj Mahal, and end two kilometres towards the city behind the Agra Fort. It was to be extended later to allow tourists to reach Etmauddaula and Ram Bagh on the other side of the river.
Rs 17 crore was spent, as hundreds of tractors, earthmovers and machines worked round the clock for three months to dig out silt and deposit it on the riverbank to create a new platform, which was laid with Rajasthani stones. But after a hue and cry from conservationists that the corridor would endanger the monument and allegations of large-scale corruption in the project, the central government suspended it in 2003. The filling of the riverbed, experts felt, would narrow the Yamuna, which might put the Taj's foundation under threat. Environmentalists now demand the site be cleaned and greened.
The project is now defunct, and plans are being made to remove the partial construction near the Taj Mahal site and replace it with a low tech forested greenbelt. Even as there is no official word regarding the fate of the project, ASI sources doubt if the Supreme Court would allow anyone to take up the matter of starting construction at the site again. Interestingly, there have been no serious objections to the corridor from the ASI, which oversees all ancient monuments in India. In an order, the SC, however, did not direct the authorities to dismantle the corridor project but called for greening it.
The project was not only a risk for the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort but it had violated the rule prohibiting construction within 300 meters of monuments as it was found the construction work had almost touched the wall of the Agra Fort. Consequently, the heritage status of the Taj Mahal came under threat when the Unesco said it might put the Taj Mahal under 'World Heritage in Danger' list, if it found the new complex would affect the authenticity and integrity of the site and would have a negative visual impact.
Police needed to police Mathura police!
Darpan Singh, Agra
The Mathura police, it seems, have refused to learn any lesson from its mistakes. Already under fire for groping in dark and poor handling of the sensational Tripti Khandelwal murder case, here comes another blunder. This time, the Mathura police, while probing a murder case, ended up using third degree against the complainants, while hardly making any effort to nab the real culprit(s). The condition of one complainant, a minority youth, deteriorated allegedly due to excessive torture and he feinted. The SSP has suspended two cops, including the SHO of Mathura Kotwali, in this connection.
Police sources said one Rahis was strangulated to death on the night of June 22 last at a place under Kotwali police station. His body was recovered at Balmiki locality in front of Kishore Raman Inter College. Anis, the deceased’s brother, lodged a case against unidentified persons in this connection. However, police suspected the involvement of the deceased’s family members in his murder and summoned all of them for questioning. Police detained two brothers of the deceased — Anis and Bablu — and two relatives for four days. However, the family believed Rahis was killed over a monetary dispute.
On Saturday night, police took Anis to a hotel, while Bablu was taken to Bengali Ghat police outpost. Both were allegedly thrashed to confess to their involvement. Sources said Bablu was subjected to third degree torture and when his condition deteriorated, the cops, instead of taking him to hospital, allegedly dumped him in the Kotwali. When the family reached Kotwali on Sunday morning, it found Bablu lying in an unconscious state. The enraged family members created a ruckus to protest the torture. A top cop told ht on Monday, "Police have arranged for Bablu's treatment." The officer admitted that Anis’s body also bore injury marks.
Incidentally, the Mathura police, which received flak for faulty examination of the crime scene in the Tripti Khandelwal murder case, are yet to make any breakthrough. More than a week ago, Tripti Khandelwal (28), wife of trader Ravi Khandelwal, was found murdered inside her residence (C-12) in the posh Radhapuram locality under the Highway police station of Mathura. The body was recovered from a divan. Incidentally, when the recovery was made, cops were busy conducting raids outside on being informed that Tripti was missing with her house locked from outside. Earlier in the day, the cops sat on the same divan in which the body had been kept a good 5-6 hours ago
The Mathura police, it seems, have refused to learn any lesson from its mistakes. Already under fire for groping in dark and poor handling of the sensational Tripti Khandelwal murder case, here comes another blunder. This time, the Mathura police, while probing a murder case, ended up using third degree against the complainants, while hardly making any effort to nab the real culprit(s). The condition of one complainant, a minority youth, deteriorated allegedly due to excessive torture and he feinted. The SSP has suspended two cops, including the SHO of Mathura Kotwali, in this connection.
Police sources said one Rahis was strangulated to death on the night of June 22 last at a place under Kotwali police station. His body was recovered at Balmiki locality in front of Kishore Raman Inter College. Anis, the deceased’s brother, lodged a case against unidentified persons in this connection. However, police suspected the involvement of the deceased’s family members in his murder and summoned all of them for questioning. Police detained two brothers of the deceased — Anis and Bablu — and two relatives for four days. However, the family believed Rahis was killed over a monetary dispute.
On Saturday night, police took Anis to a hotel, while Bablu was taken to Bengali Ghat police outpost. Both were allegedly thrashed to confess to their involvement. Sources said Bablu was subjected to third degree torture and when his condition deteriorated, the cops, instead of taking him to hospital, allegedly dumped him in the Kotwali. When the family reached Kotwali on Sunday morning, it found Bablu lying in an unconscious state. The enraged family members created a ruckus to protest the torture. A top cop told ht on Monday, "Police have arranged for Bablu's treatment." The officer admitted that Anis’s body also bore injury marks.
Incidentally, the Mathura police, which received flak for faulty examination of the crime scene in the Tripti Khandelwal murder case, are yet to make any breakthrough. More than a week ago, Tripti Khandelwal (28), wife of trader Ravi Khandelwal, was found murdered inside her residence (C-12) in the posh Radhapuram locality under the Highway police station of Mathura. The body was recovered from a divan. Incidentally, when the recovery was made, cops were busy conducting raids outside on being informed that Tripti was missing with her house locked from outside. Earlier in the day, the cops sat on the same divan in which the body had been kept a good 5-6 hours ago
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