Taj Mahal

Godrej Security sees Rs 1,200 cr revenue by 2025, bets on landmarks, BFSI

Company's systems used at Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar and by State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank

Danish royalty makes India visit after 20 yrs, head to the Taj Mahal

Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik Andr Henrik Christian and Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth visited the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort here on Sunday. The Danish royals were accorded a grand welcome at the airport here. According to the tour guide, they exhibited interest in the architecture of the beautiful monument and its history. "They exhibited interest in the architecture of Taj Mahal, the inlay work and other arts. They also enquired about who built it and how many workers were engaged to build the Taj Mahal. The crown prince also expressed curiosity about the 'Black Taj Mahal'," tour guide Nitin Singh said. The 'Black Taj Mahal' is said to have been built across the Yamuna river in black marble, but the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has dismissed it as a myth. The Danish royals are on a four-day visit to India. It is the first visit to India from the Danish Royal family in two decades.

Argentine tourist goes missing after testing Covid positive at Taj Mahal

The contact details provided by him are wrong, CMO said

Taj Mahal on alert, no entry for tourists without Covid-19 testing

With surge in Covid cases in China and other countries, one of the most popular tourist attractions of the country Taj Mahal in Agra is put on alert, confirmed the District Health Information Officer

Loacal authorities ask ASI to pay water, property tax for Taj Mahal

The Archaeological Survey of India has been asked to pay a water tax of nearly Rs 2 crore, and a property tax of about Rs 1.5 lakh for the Taj Mahal, along with a Rs 5-crore service tax for the Agra Fort, in an apparent first-of-its-kind action by local authorities. The ASI in Agra said the monuments are exempted from such taxes, but Municipal Commissioner Nikhil Tikaram Funde said notices have been issued to several buildings and those eligible will be given the relief. The Agra Municipal Corporation's notices ask the ASI to pay a water tax of Rs 1.94 crore and a property of Rs 1.47 lakh for the Taj Mahal, and Rs 1.40 lakh as property tax for another monument, the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah. The notices were issued for the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23, and the ASI has been asked to pay up within the next 15 days. In-addition, the Agra Cantonment Board has sent out a notice to the ASI to recover a service tax of Rs 5 crore for the Agra Fort, an official said. Agra Circle ASI .

Taj Mahal to be 'attached' if ASI fails to pay water, property tax: Agra MC

"Property tax not applicable on monuments. Not liable to pay taxes for water. It could have been sent by mistake," said ASI superintending archaeologist

SC stays notices for closure of shops within 500 metres of Taj Mahal

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Agra Development Authority (ADA) for not conducting any survey on the environmental impact of business activities near the iconic Taj Mahal and termed it a "sorry state of affairs". The top court said it has to act like a "super administrator" as the ADA has failed to do its duty and stayed the operation of notices served for closure of all business activities along the boundary wall of the centuries-old monument. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka asked the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to conduct an environment impact assessment (EIA) based on the latest survey of the business activities especially in the Taj Ganj area within 500 metres from the boundary wall of the iconic monument and submit a report giving suggestion to the court as early as possible. The top court noted that its September 26 order for removal of businesses was passed to bring in conformity with a similar order passe

SC dismisses 'publicity interest litigation' seeking inquiry of Taj Mahal

The Supreme Court on Friday junked a plea seeking a "fact-finding inquiry" into the history of the Taj Mahal and the "opening of 22 rooms" on the monument's premises, terming it "publicity interest litigation". A bench of justices M R Shah and M M Sundresh refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court order that had dismissed the plea. "The high court was not in error in dismissing the petition, which is more of a publicity interest litigation. Dismissed," the bench said. The high court had, on May 12, said petitioner Rajneesh Singh, who is the media in-charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Ayodhya unit, had failed to point out which of his legal or constitutional rights were being infringed. It had also pulled up the petitioner's lawyer for filing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition in a "casual" manner and said it could not pass an order under Article 226 of the Constitution in the matter. The article empowers a high court to issue orders or writs to any pe

Taj Mahal to open during 'Sharad Purnima' for four nights this month

The Taj Mahal will be open for night viewing during 'Sharad Purnima' for four nights this time

Trouble in Taj Ganj as SC order on commercial activity create uncertainty

Already in deep crisis, the latest order of the Supreme Court banning commercial activities within 500 metres of the Taj Mahal, threatens to further dent the fragile tourism industry in Agra.

Around 500 shop owners near Taj Mahal fear shutdown after SC order

With the Supreme Court's order to immediately stop all commercial activities within the 500-meter periphery of the Taj Mahal, the shop owners in this area are uncertain about the future of their businesses. There are about 500 odd restaurants, emporiums, budget hotels, cafes and other business outlets in the area that might be affected by the court order. The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Agra Development Authority (ADA) to prohibit commercial activities within the 500-meter periphery of the Taj Mahal. Talking to PTI, Charchit Gaur, vice chairman of ADA said, "We have begun the survey processing of the businesses and after the completion of the survey we will identify the businesses and act accordingly to the order of the Supreme Court." The apex court's order was in response to the application by the 71 shopkeepers, who had alleged that they were removed from near the western gate in the year 1993, whereas other commercial activities continued. On Wednesday, locals and ...

Taj Mahal most ticketed ASI site for domestic tourists in FY22: Report

The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO world heritage site, was among the 10 most popular centrally-protected ticketed monuments for domestic visitors in 2021-22, according to a new report released by the Union Ministry of Tourism. While the Mughal-era mausoleum ranked first, the Red Fort and the Qutub Minar -- both UNESCO-recognised sites in Delhi -- were the second and third most visited sites, respectively, for the period. The over 280-page report titled 'India Tourism Statistics 2022' was released on Tuesday by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on World Tourism Day at an event here. The report said due to restrictions related to COVID-19, "the number of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India during 2021 decreased to 1.52 million as compared to 2.74 million in 2020, registering a negative growth of 44.5 per cent". Sharing data about the footfall at various sites under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the report said the Taj Mahal was the most popular centrally-protected ticketed monum

Dabur makes an entry into Rs 5,600-crore premium tea market with Vedic tea

Looks to get aggressive in segment dominated by Hindustan Unilever and Tata Tea

Tourism to get affected as SC bans commercial activities around Taj Mahal

A Supreme Court order to stop commercial activities within 500 metres of the Taj Mahal has triggered a huge controversy that could create tension and uncertainty affecting the revival of tourism

Remove all business activities within 500 metres of Taj Mahal: SC

The Supreme Court has directed the Agra Development Authority to remove all business activities within 500 metres from the boundary/peripheral wall of the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal still exposed to alarming levels of pollution: Green activists

Local activists say there has been no fundamental change in the environmental conditions in Agra, Mathura, Firozabad districts that come under the TTZ

Allahabad HC rejects plea seeking to open 22 closed doors in Taj Mahal

The Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court on Thursday rejected the plea seeking to open 22 closed rooms in the Taj Mahal to ascertain the presence of the idols of Hindu deities.

Manual ticket counters of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort closed in view of Covid-19

In view of the current COVID-19 situation, the manual ticket counters of the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh's Agra were closed on Monday.Superintending Archaeologist Dr Raj Kumar Patel said, "There was a huge gathering outside the ticket windows. Following this, the decision was taken to close the windows of the manual ticket counters. However, the monuments are not completely closed."Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh reported 514 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.The state has reported eight cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus so far, said the ministry.

Agra's AQI stands at 500 plus despite major efforts to check pollution

The overall situation in the 10,400 sq km eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone remains alarming as the Taj city is grappling with 500 plus AQI

Hundreds of trees chopped off along Yamuna river, furore on social media

The trees were cut on Saturday and after a furore on social media and complaints by the green activists, the police filed an FIR