SC ORDERS DEMOLITION OF PARKING LOT NEAR TAJ MAHAL
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed on Tuesday demolition of a partially constructed parking lot located towards the eastern gate within one kilometre of the Taj Mahal. A bench headed by justice MB Lokur issued the instructions to Agra’s commissioner and asked him to submit a status report before it within four weeks. The order came after it was informed that the parking lot came up without the Supreme Court’s approval. The directions come two days before Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to visit the city.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed on Tuesday demolition of a partially constructed parking lot located towards the eastern gate within one kilometre of the Taj Mahal.
A bench headed by justice MB Lokur issued the instructions to Agra’s commissioner and asked him to submit a status report before it within four weeks.
The order came after it was informed that the parking lot came up without the Supreme Court’s approval.
The directions come two days before Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to visit the city.
The top court is seized of a case filed by lawyer-cum-environmental activist MC Mehta and is monitoring preservation and conservation of Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) and the monuments within. No felling of trees can take place in the area without the court’s permission.
Advocate ADN Rao, who represents the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), said the authorities started the construction activity without informing the court.
There was no counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government to argue the case, prompting the bench to pronounce its order.
Later during the day at 4pm, after the court proceedings were over, UP state counsel additional advocate general Aishwarya
THE SC IS MONITORING PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF TAJ TRAPEZIUM ZONE AND MONUMENTS WITHIN
Bhatti urged the court to recall its order. However, the court declined to do so and asked her to file a formal application.
“You file your application and then we will see,” the bench said.
The parking lot is part of the Taj Orientation Centre that the state government had proposed to develop in the area.
This was to provide worldclass facilities for foreign tourists, VIPs and VVIPs visiting the monument through the eastern gate.
For the same, the state needed permission to cut trees for which it filed an application before the Supreme Court in November 2016.
However, on inspecting the site pursuant to court order, ASI learnt the construction began even before the state applied for permission to the court.