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Agra admin to follow SC guidelines, e-vehicle to take Trumps to the Taj
Guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, which in 1998 barred the use of anything but electric vehicles in close proximity to the monument, will be followed during the Trumps’ Taj visit, the officials said.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will enter the Taj Mahal in an eco-friendly vehicle after they reach the city on February 24, senior administrative officials said on Friday, minimising the chances of the Trumps driving up to the16th century white, marble monument in the Presidential car, known as The Beast.
Guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, which in 1998 barred the use of anything but electric vehicles in close proximity to the monument, will be followed during the Trumps’ Taj visit, the officials said. Preparations are underway for the visit of the American First Couple, who will fly to Agra from Ahmedabad, the first leg of the trip. Final rehearsals are likely to take place on Saturday or Sunday, but it is still not clear if ‘The Beast’ will be a part of them. The vehicle has arrived in Agra’s Kheria airport, and is waiting to ferry the couple to the Taj Mahal and back, HT reported on Thursday.
“US President Donald Trump and wife Melania will enter Taj Mahal in an eco-friendly vehicle,” inspector general of police, A Satish Ganesh, said on Friday.
Superintending archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (Agra Circle), Vasant Swarnkar, said Supreme Court guidelines will be complied with. “The vehicle used by the guests will be decided by the administration, but we are here to ensure compliance with Supreme Court directives,” he said.
“The apex court restricted movement of petrol/diesel-run vehicles within a 500-metre radius of the Taj. Since then, most VVIPs visiting the monument opt for a battery-operated coach, while some take a golf cart,” said DK Burman, a retired tourism department official.
The issue about entry of the VVIP guest came up in 2015 when the then US President Barack Obama was expected to visit the Taj. The visit was called off at the eleventh hour because Obama had to fly to Saudi Arabia to condole the death of King Abdullah.
Chief minister Yogi Aditya nath on Tuesday inspect ed preparations for the visit and took a golf cart to the Taj Mahal.
Another retired official recalled that in 2000, the then US President Bill Clinton travelled from the airport to Taj Mahal in his own car (‘the Beast’), which was allowed inside the premises along with his cavalcade.
In 2002, on his second visit to Taj, Clinton, who was no longer the president, was driven in a special battery-operated coach provided by the Agra Development Authority.
This battery-operated coach has been refurbished and in ‘ready to use’ mode.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath, who was in Agra to assess the preparations for Trump’s visit on Tuesday, had travelled in a golf cart to the Taj Mahal.
