The area that was once supposed to be a heritage site under the Rs 175-crore Taj Corridor Project is now just a heap of bones and skulls. In 2002-03, the project had proposed to build a heritage corridor between the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. It has now been turned into a dumping ground for animal carcasses and garbage.
A Pollution Control Board official admitted, “The site has today become a source of pollution in the Yamuna, which flows behind the Taj.” He, however, said it was the responsibility of the Agra Municipal Corporation to set things right. The site is also a serious threat to the Taj Mahal.
Ever since its inception, the corridor project drew flak from all quarters as experts believed any construction on the riverbed might alter the course of the Yamuna and lead to ecological problems.
The project along the banks of the Yamuna involved plans to construct an amusement park, malls, commercial shops, and walkways for strolls in moonlit nights. The corridor was to begin from Khan-e-Alam, close to the Taj Mahal, and end two km towards the city behind the Agra Fort. It was to be extended later to allow tourists to reach Etmauddaula and Ram Bagh on the other side of the river.
The project had taken off despite a court order prohibiting construction around the Taj trapezium — the area that has many historical monuments.
{{/usCountry}}The project had taken off despite a court order prohibiting construction around the Taj trapezium — the area that has many historical monuments.
{{/usCountry}}Currently, plans are on to remove the partial construction near the Taj Mahal site and replace it with a greenbelt.