In shadow of Covid crisis, Agra stares at long road to recovery
AGRA: It was the perfect photo opportunity. Agra rolled out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for their visit to the Taj Mahal on February 24. The visit went off well and the Taj city had, once again, made its mark as an international host.
The euphoria didn’t last long. On March 2, five members of an Agra-based family tested positive for the coronavirus disease, causing the cancellation of public gatherings, and fear of the infection spreading marred Holi on March 9. Yet, March ended with only 12 Covid-19 cases in Agra, eight of whom recovered.
Nevertheless, all was not well. The Taj Mahal was closed to the public on March 17 and it has remained shut ever since.
“The 1971 India-Pakistan war was the last time the Taj Mahal was closed for a long duration. It was off-limits for the public for about a fortnight. The foundation of Agra’s economy rests on tourism centred around the Taj Mahal. This time, it has remained closed for about a month-and-ahalf. There is no possibility of it reopening in the near future,” says Rajeev Saxena, vice-president, Tourism Guild of Agra.
“Nearly seven to eight million tourists visit the Taj Mahal every year. The tourism business of Agra is estimated to be around ~1,500 crore annually. The local hotel industry’s share is ~700 crore to ~800 crore,” says Saxena.
Agra is now in the red zone. It has reported over 500 cases so far and ranks 11th nationwide. “It will be a long battle for Agra...It may take a year or two for the situation to return to normal. Agra is not going to be the same in the near future,” Saxena says.
KC Jain, secretary of the Agra Development Foundation, agrees the road to normality will be a long one. Nevertheless, he is optimistic that sooner or later, the Taj Mahal gates will reopen and the city’s economy, based on tourism and the footwear industry, will bounce back.
Shamshuddin, a veteran tourist guide, says the gains from Trump’s Agra visit were swept away by Covid-19 cases.
As for the footwear industry, it remains doubtful whether its showpiece event, ‘Meet at Agra’, will be held in the second half of the year. Agra Footwear Manufacturers and Export Council (AFMEC) holds the event.
Agra has a 28% share in India’s footwear exports but given the scenario in the European market, tough days are ahead. “The footwear business in Agra is worth about ~4,000 crore,” says Gagan Dass Ramani, president of Agra Shoe Factors Federation. “The ~4,000 crore domestic market will shrink to ~1,000 crore ...,” he says.
Similarly, Noori Darwaza lanes, famous for Agra’s dalmoth, a salted snack, and petha sweet are wearing a deserted look. Most workers have returned to their villages due to the lockdown.