Administration extends deadline for the closure of shops around Taj Mahal

“We have already moved an interlocutory application before the Supreme Court, which remains to be mentioned to the bench hearing the public interest litigation in which orders were passed in September for closure of business activities within 500m radius of Taj Mahal walls. We hope for a hearing on October 31,” said Sandeep Arora, secretary, Tajganj Welfare Foundation.

Shopkeepers within 500m radius of the Taj Mahal, who have to shut their stores following an order by the Supreme Court, got some relief as the district administration on Friday night extended the closure deadline by three months. The earlier deadline was October 17.

Shopkeepers within 500m radius of the Taj Mahal, got some relief as the administration extended the closure deadline by 3 months (Yatish Lavania)

The affected shopkeepers, hoteliers and emporium owners have filed an interlocutory application before the apex court under the umbrella organisation called Tajganj Welfare Foundation.

“We have already moved an interlocutory application before the Supreme Court, which remains to be mentioned to the bench hearing the public interest litigation in which orders were passed in September for closure of business activities within 500m radius of Taj Mahal walls. We hope for a hearing on October 31,” said Sandeep Arora, secretary, Tajganj Welfare Foundation.

“We are expecting the mentioning on October 31, 2022,” said Nitin Singh, convener of the action committee constituted by those affected by the top court’s order. “Our Diwali started as soon as the district administration extended the deadline by three months for closure of business activities.”

The new deadline is January 17, 2023, he said. “We had met district administration officials and even placed the matter before state level authorities,” Singh said. “We are thankful to the district administration and Agra Development Authority for extending the deadline.”

“The decision for extending the deadline for three more months is a big relief to the shopkeepers, hoteliers and emporium owners,” said GS Dharmesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Agra Cantonment. “Efforts are being made to apprise the Supreme Court about the ground realities.”