Agra: Conservationists are urging the authorities to slow down tourist traffic to Agra due to fears of damage to the world famous Mughal monument.
The large number of people crowding Agra may mar its beauty and accelerate the ageing process of the Taj, warn environmentalists.
At a seminar in Agra, speakers rued that the government and private bodies were encouraging tourists to visit the Taj without bothering about the consequences.
According to one estimate, about 7,500 tourists visit the Taj daily. Some days the number crosses 1,00,000.
"Taj Mahal is not Kamadhenu (a mythical cow) that can be milked for commercial purposes. It needs rest and respite," said Surendra Sharma, who runs a hotel and is president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society, which organised the seminar.
Efforts initiated by the Archaeological Survey of India for the preservation of the Taj also came under fire. The measures were seen as "insensitive".
The conservationists said Agra had got a raw deal from both the central and state governments. "It is sad that Agra still qualifies as the dirtiest city of the country," one conservationist pointed out.
"If the government is serious about developing tourism in Agra, let them fill up the Yamuna with water, build a bridge across the river at Dussehra Ghat to enable tourists to cross the river for a view of the Taj from Mehtab Bagh," said a participant.
They also said that Raja ki Mandi railway station should be renamed as Agra central station for the convenience of domestic tourists and that an international airport should be built in the city.
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