Unruly crowds at Taj put monument in serious danger
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Agra:
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India’s best loved, much
visited and most famous — by far — monument is in some real and present
danger. On Diwali weekend, there were around 1.5 lakh people inside
the Taj Mahal, doing pretty much what they pleased. While many were
merrily clicking pictures in the mausoleum (a strict no), others were
running their sweaty palms down Shah Jahan’s labour of love (another big
no).
And as shoe covers had run out of stock (as usual), innumerable tourists were seen stomping around in their shoes, turning the lone policeman’s duty there into a nightmare. Experts now believe that if this kind of unregulated and undisciplined traffic goes on, the damage to India’s biggest tourist attraction will be irreversible.
The extended Diwali weekend starting Thursday was said to be the reason for this record sale of tickets at the Taj.
This chaotic situation was, however, not really unprecedented. It’s quite often of late that thousands of visitors, many of them unruly, have converged at the 360-year-old tomb and Unesco world heritage site.
According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) data, a total of 44,458 tickets were sold on Saturday, while this figure stood at 41,893 on Sunday, adding to around 86,351 tourists. But what this figure hides is the fact that tickets are not charged for children up to 15 years of age and they make up a large portion of visitors. Plus, massive number of government officials do not pay up, and then there are scores of photographers and local residents always milling around. One can easily add another 70,000 or so to the over 80,000 who bought tickets, said Surendra Sharma, president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society, a fact that ASI officials, too, attest.
“The seventh wonder of the world is losing its sheen with thousands of people rubbing their palms at every possible space. If this assault continues, the shine will be lost forever,” a worried Sharma said on Monday. “When tourist entry (to the Taj Mahal) can be regulated by the Supreme Court on five days of the month around the full moon nights, why can’t it be done on regular days?” Only 400 tourists are allowed each night for five days when night viewing is allowed here.
And as shoe covers had run out of stock (as usual), innumerable tourists were seen stomping around in their shoes, turning the lone policeman’s duty there into a nightmare. Experts now believe that if this kind of unregulated and undisciplined traffic goes on, the damage to India’s biggest tourist attraction will be irreversible.
The extended Diwali weekend starting Thursday was said to be the reason for this record sale of tickets at the Taj.
This chaotic situation was, however, not really unprecedented. It’s quite often of late that thousands of visitors, many of them unruly, have converged at the 360-year-old tomb and Unesco world heritage site.
According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) data, a total of 44,458 tickets were sold on Saturday, while this figure stood at 41,893 on Sunday, adding to around 86,351 tourists. But what this figure hides is the fact that tickets are not charged for children up to 15 years of age and they make up a large portion of visitors. Plus, massive number of government officials do not pay up, and then there are scores of photographers and local residents always milling around. One can easily add another 70,000 or so to the over 80,000 who bought tickets, said Surendra Sharma, president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society, a fact that ASI officials, too, attest.
“The seventh wonder of the world is losing its sheen with thousands of people rubbing their palms at every possible space. If this assault continues, the shine will be lost forever,” a worried Sharma said on Monday. “When tourist entry (to the Taj Mahal) can be regulated by the Supreme Court on five days of the month around the full moon nights, why can’t it be done on regular days?” Only 400 tourists are allowed each night for five days when night viewing is allowed here.
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