SC seeks status report on steps to prevent Taj overcrowding

The Supreme Court today directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on what steps it had taken to implement a contingency plan to avoid unnecessary crowding and chaos in Taj Mahal. The plan was drawn up by the state government in 2001.

A bench of Justices SH Kapadia, SB Sinha and Justice DK Jain also directed the superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India, senior officials of CISF, vice-vhairman of Agra Development Authority and commissioner of Agra to hold an emergency meeting to chalk out a plan of action in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Centre today told the SC the main impediment to giving Agra the status of a world heritage city was that its planning and development were progressing in a haphazard manner. Taj, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, in the city have already been given world heritage status, the Centre added. But after the Bench refered to UNESCO reports recommending such a status for the city, the government counsel said he would get back in three weeks time.