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Study to cut Taj, Ajanta burden may cost Rs 65L
What is the “carrying capacity” of the fragile Taj Mahal and Ajanta Caves, which are witnessing around 50,000 footfalls every day during the tourist season?
To assess the stress caused by the visitors and take steps to protect the two renowned heritage sites, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has roped in the Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).
“This is the first-of-its-kind a year-long scientific study to be conducted in any monument in the country. It will be kicked off from Thursday when NEERI scientists will start doing their job simultaneously on the two monuments,” says a senior ASI official.
The aim is to ensure that we have adequate plans in place including regulating the visits if required before pressure takes its toll on them. The structures need long-term plan for long life, the official told The Pioneer.
The study cost has been estimated at around Rs 65 lakh.
The two monuments are on the list of over 3,600 protected monuments of the ASI and figure on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
“The Government research agency will conduct study of four seasons including the peak period when the footfall is at the maximum at the two sites.”
The scientific study is to be done simultaneously at the two historical sites on levels of atmosphere, temperature and humidity caused by the regular flow of the visitors, the official added.
The 17th-century Taj Mahal, India’s white-marbled monument to love topped the list of Agra circle monuments with 41,81,228 domestic tourists and 6,23,944 foreign tourists in 2010-11.
“No doubt footfalls are indeed a major pressure on the monument but our major concern is the white platforms in the main mausoleum which is bearing the major brunt of high temperature and humidity due to human presence,” the official said. The measures may include regulated visits as has been done by France in cave of Niaux located in its south-western region.
The ASI is also worried at the increasing human load on the 1,500 years old Ajanata Caves in Maharasthra. These caves are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the second century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both “Buddhist religious art” and “universal pictorial art”. Though time-to-time steps have been taken to control the visits, a lot remains to be done.
More such studies in other monuments will be conducted depending on the recommendations from the NEERI.
What is the “carrying capacity” of the fragile Taj Mahal and Ajanta Caves, which are witnessing around 50,000 footfalls every day during the tourist season?
To assess the stress caused by the visitors and take steps to protect the two renowned heritage sites, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has roped in the Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).
“This is the first-of-its-kind a year-long scientific study to be conducted in any monument in the country. It will be kicked off from Thursday when NEERI scientists will start doing their job simultaneously on the two monuments,” says a senior ASI official.
The aim is to ensure that we have adequate plans in place including regulating the visits if required before pressure takes its toll on them. The structures need long-term plan for long life, the official told The Pioneer.
The study cost has been estimated at around Rs 65 lakh.
The two monuments are on the list of over 3,600 protected monuments of the ASI and figure on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
“The Government research agency will conduct study of four seasons including the peak period when the footfall is at the maximum at the two sites.”
The scientific study is to be done simultaneously at the two historical sites on levels of atmosphere, temperature and humidity caused by the regular flow of the visitors, the official added.
The 17th-century Taj Mahal, India’s white-marbled monument to love topped the list of Agra circle monuments with 41,81,228 domestic tourists and 6,23,944 foreign tourists in 2010-11.
“No doubt footfalls are indeed a major pressure on the monument but our major concern is the white platforms in the main mausoleum which is bearing the major brunt of high temperature and humidity due to human presence,” the official said. The measures may include regulated visits as has been done by France in cave of Niaux located in its south-western region.
The ASI is also worried at the increasing human load on the 1,500 years old Ajanata Caves in Maharasthra. These caves are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the second century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both “Buddhist religious art” and “universal pictorial art”. Though time-to-time steps have been taken to control the visits, a lot remains to be done.
More such studies in other monuments will be conducted depending on the recommendations from the NEERI.
