‘Ghost town’ for Clinton, Agra set to give a lively reception to Trumps
nAGRA: When Bill Clinton visited Agra as the US President in 2000, the city was smothered by a blanket of security. The streets and the main Mall road were sealed and sanitised, shops were closed, and Clinton saw few locals on his way to the Taj Mahal from the airport. As a result, he referred to Agra as a “ghost town”, said officials who had accompanied Clinton then.
Things will be different during US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s visit on February 24. On either side of the 14 km route that Trump will travel from the airport to the monument , there will be crowds, including around 26,000 students, holding flags of India and the US. Over 3,000 artistes from Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan will also be performing on road-side stages.
The programmes will include Ramlila, Raslila, Nautanki (drama) performances among others.
News agency IANS quoted people familiar with the arrangements as saying that the state government wanted to showcase the art and culture of Braj, Bundelkhand, Purvanchal and Awadh regions.
“We are not going to compromise on any aspect of security, but this will not be at the cost of a lively welcome to be extended to the Trumps. Agra will not be turned into a ‘ghost town’ this time,” said A Satish Ganesh, inspector-general of police (Agra range).
None of these children will be younger than 12, and no one appearing in the board exams will be present. Teachers with them will coordinate the entire exercise, added Ganesh. “About 3,500 artistes will present cultural programmes that portray Indian culture at 18 locations on the route,” Ganesh said. Meanwhile, the state irrigation department has released more than 900 cusecs of water into the Yamuna, and garbage piled on the bank of the river, behind the Taj Mahal is being removed.
The Archaeological Survey of India has begun a clean-up of the monument, using mudpack to dark spots on the monument. The canals within the precinct of the Taj Mahal complex are also being cleaned.
All cleaning will be completed by Friday, the day the Taj Mahal remains closed to the public, said officials familiar with the developments. The monument will also be off limits to the public during the Trumps’ visit.
Elsewhere, walls along the sides of the roads are being painted while trees along the route have been pruned.