saving the symbol of love

That great symbol of love, the Taj Mahal, is in trouble as the past and future collide

IN THE race for a Smart City tag, heritage structures in Agra are under threat. The haphazard growth of urban clusters encroaching on the free space around monuments and the alarming rise in pollution have compelled a rethink of whether becoming a Smart City was the answer to Agra’s problems.

Green activists and conservationists have now demanded that the government approach Unesco to secure World Heritage City status for Agra.

In the past few weeks, the Supreme Court has taken a tough stance on the conservation of heritage monuments, including the 17th century monument of love, the Taj Mahal, in response to eco-lawyer MC Mehta who has been monitoring developments in the Taj Trapezium Zone, the eco-sensitive 10 040km² area around the monument.

Delhi’s School of Planning and Architecture drew up a draft vision document to restore and conserve Agra’s heritage. The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department has supported the call to declare Agra a heritage city.

Local conservation activists and NGOs say the tag will conserve monuments and the essential character of Agra, which could get lost in a Smart City.

Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society president Surendra Sharma asked: “If not Agra, with three World Heritage monuments and dozens of smaller historical buildings, then which other Indian city qualifies for this status? Agra is unique not just architecturally but for its culture, for its history, the cuisine and its lifestyle. Mandarins in the Agra Development Authority and a caucus of so-called builders want to destroy the past by snapping the umbilical cords that connect Agra to a glorious past.”

Medieval historians described Agra as a cosmopolitan city in its time bigger than London and Paris.

“Agra soaks in history.

Home to the Taj Mahal, two other Unesco World Heritage sites – the

Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri – every nook and cranny tells a story of its splendid past,” conservationist Rajiv Saxena pointed out.

A heritage city tag would help conserve historical buildings, old havelis, water bodies, forests and even the old city’s oriental market, said environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya.

In 2007, the Union Tourism Ministry told the Supreme Court

Agra could not be granted heritage city status because it needed time to develop basic infrastructure.

But to date the city does not have regular air connectivity, streamlined roads, adequate security for visitors and related facilities.

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.” – ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

| IANS THE Taj Mahal in Agra, India.