E-Paper
ADF suggests steps to promote lesser-known Agra monuments
A letter has been sent by Agra Development Foundation (ADF) to Union tourism and culture minister G. Kishan Reddy , in which it has been said that Agra has rich historical and cultural heritage. But recent statistics show that most tourists visiting Agra only see the Taj Mahal and leave the same day without seeing the other monuments.
Agra Demands from various quarters to promote lesser-known monuments in the Taj city notwithstanding, the focus continues to remain on the iconic Taj Mahal.
From 2015-16 to 2021-22, the footfall at the Taj was 3.42 crore but less than half of this at Agra Fort, another world heritage monument close to Taj Mahal. Only 1.52 crore tourists visited the Agra Fort in the same period.
Senior advocate and RTI activist, KC Jain obtained this information from the Archaeological Survey of India through a Right to Information Act plea. The reply informed that there were 3696 sites protected by ASI all over India out of which 143 were ticketed monuments. ASI stamped eight monuments through tickets in Agra, including Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s Tomb (Sikandra), Mehtab Bagh, Etmaduddaula, Rambagh and Mariam Tomb.
“The turn-out at other monuments, even if summed up, is nowhere near the number of tourists that the Taj Mahal received from 2015-16 to 2021-22,” said KC Jain, secretary, Agra Development Foundation, a body raising issues related to Agra and its tourism potential.
“Besides the Taj Mahal, both Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are world heritage monuments and Akbar’s Tomb and Etmaduddaula are also world class. Mehtab Bagh, Rambagh and Mariam Ka Maqbara are also attractive monuments but we could not attract tourists to these seven protected monuments,” complained Jain.
“Only about 12.5 percent (42.90 lakh) tourists reached Fatehpur Sikri as compared to the Taj Mahal, 22.33 lakh visited Akbar’s tomb, 14.33 lakh Mehtab Bagh, 12.78 lakh Etmaduddaula (also known as baby Taj or jewel box), 4.35 lakh visited Rambagh and 2.37 lakh Maryam’s tomb,” said Jain on the basis of disclosures made in the information provided by the ASI under RTI.
“This flow of tourists had impact on revenue collection and while Taj Mahal earned Rs. 3,34,55,38,121 in these seven years, the Agra Fort could generate only ₹1,43,57,85,325 in same duration. Once an abandoned capital of Mughal empire during the reign of emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri, 40 km from Agra city, could fetch an income of Rs. 56,80,49,440 in the same period while other ticketed monument lagged far behind in total amount of revenue i.e. ₹5,60,64,00,967 generated from these 8 ticketed monuments in Agra,” said Jain in a statement released on Wednesday .
To highlight the issue, a letter has been sent by Agra Development Foundation (ADF) to Union tourism and culture minister G. Kishan Reddy on Tuesday, in which it has been said that Agra has rich historical and cultural heritage. But recent statistics show that most tourists visiting Agra only see the Taj Mahal and leave the same day without seeing the other monuments.
‘Agra Development Foundation has made certain suggestions which include creating better awareness of Agra beyond the Taj Mahal, by projecting historical significance, architectural brilliance, and cultural diversity of these otherwise neglected monuments,” said Jain.
“We need to encourage travel agencies, tour operators and online travel platforms to create diverse tour packages and itineraries that incorporate multiple monuments in Agra. Improving connectivity within the city by introducing hop-on and hop-off bus services that cover all major monuments in Agra will facilitate easy accessibility for tourists, encouraging them to explore beyond the Taj Mahal,” he said.
“We need to establish information centres and deploy knowledgeable local guides at each monument to provide visitors with detailed information to enhance the overall visitor experience and promote a deeper appreciation for Agra’s heritage. Better collaboration between the ASI, the Agra Development Authority, central and state departments of tourism, local communities, and private stakeholders is needed to develop and maintain infrastructure, signage, and amenities at the lesser-known monuments so that these sites receive the attention they deserve,” suggested the ADF letter.
