Taj Mahal News: Rain in Agra leads to water leakage in main dome, ASI says no damage to monument

The incessant rain over the last few days in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Agra, has led to water leakage from the main dome of the Taj Mahal.

However, the Archaeological Survey of India has claimed that there was no damage to the monument in Agra.

On Thursday, the videos of the inundated garden on the premises also went viral.

There is leakage in the main dome due to seepage and there is no damage to it, PTI quoted a senior official of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Agra circle.

Stating that they had witnessed the leakage in the main dome of the Taj Mahal, Rajkumar Patel, Superintending Chief of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), told PTI, "When we checked it was due to seepage and there was no damage to the main dome. We have checked the main dome through a drone camera."

The Taj Mahal is the pride of Agra and the entire nation, adding it provides employment to hundreds of locals and those who are working in the tourism industry, said a local resident, who is working as a government-approved tour guide.

Monika Sharma, a government approved tour guide, said that proper care should be taken of the monument because, for the tourism industry people, it is the only hope.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking to declare Agra a ‘heritage city’ and said there is nothing to show that such a declaration would give the city any special advantage.

"Nothing has been placed on record to show that there will be any special advantage to the city. Moreover, this court cannot grant any such declaration. Interlocutory application is dismissed," a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan ordered.

Justice Oka said that the court is already looking into the matter of protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal and the maintenance of the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ).