Complexities in Preserving the Cultural Heritage of Agra: An Appraisal

Abstract

The city of Agra, renowned worldwide as the city of the Taj, is the abode of many of India’s most well-known architectural and historical marvels. With the advent of modern industry and urban expansion, these remnants of India’s rich heritage, are getting severely impacted. The rise of environmentalist awareness in India, as a reaction to the adverse effects of these polluting industries and increasing encroachment, also came to the rescue of India’s monuments, leading to the landmark establishment of the Taj Trapezium zone (TTZ). This paper attempts to provide a holistic picture of the measures taken hitherto with the establishment of the TTZ, its objectives, and the successes or misses of the intervening Government initiatives. The paper also aims to offer suggestions for further initiatives that need to be undertaken, in order to protect and preserve these monuments from the negative impact of pollution and encroachment.