Steel barricading to save inlay work
In order to save the marble structure from getting desecrated due to constant touch by tourists, the Archaeological Survey of India has decided to erect a steel bar barricading alongside the wall of arches at main mausoleum of the Taj Mahal.
This exercise will save the delicate marble inlay work done on the structure. The ASI officials plan to finish the task by the end of this financial year after having such steel barricades on wooden plank even inside the mausoleum.
“We have begun this exercise for better conservation of the marble arches on all four sides of the main mausoleum. These barricades are made of steel mounted on wood base placed on marble grip so that there is no friction caused to marble floor of the Taj Mahal, the world heritage listed monument,” said Munazzar Ali, senior conservation assistant at Taj Mahal.
“This steel barricading would be on all four sides of the main mausoleum and would be followed by similar arrangements inside the dome so that it may assist in streamlining tourists’ movement within the mausoleum,” said Ali while talking to HT.
“The tenders have been issued and work has begun since past one week and we expect it to be completed by end of March. The total cost would be Rs 96 lakh for the project and utmost care is being taken to safeguard the original sanctity of the monument,” said Ali.
It may be noted that inlay work on marble surface has been coming in direct contact of visitors and thus required steps for protection.
The inflow of tourists and mounting crowd pressure has been under scanner and time and again, various suggestions are given to regulate the crowd at a given time on the Taj premises. Some have been advocating restricted entry of tourists on white platform, but tourism related bodies have opposed the move.
The year 2016 saw rise in number of foreign tourists reaching Taj Mahal (6,61,148 foreign tourists and 55,40,445 domestic tourists).