Rajasthan: Bharatpur to cut flow of vehicles to save Taj Mahal

A plan to ensure conservation of the iconic Taj Mahal for coming generations insists on cutting down of pollution levels at Bharatpur district of Rajasthan along with five other districts of Uttar Pradesh. These six districts are part of Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) and draft of 23 point action plan for development of the area has suggested for reducing presence of petrol and diesel vehicles in the vicinity. 

The action plan proposes, ‘to ban vehicles older than 10 years’ along with ‘ban and sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles’ in the Taj Trapezium Zone. A final draft of the plan is expected to be declared over the next couple of months after due deliberation between concerned departments of the two states and relevant authorities of the Union government.

“It is recommended to prepare an integrated land use and low carbon mobility plan suggesting development of dense transport network,” suggests the draft plan. 

The vision document is being compiled in compliance of SC order of December 8, 2017 in a case related to conservation of Taj Mahal. The court has ordered for development of a plan that could ensure conservation of the monument and nearby areas over the next few centuries. The TTZ authority has accordingly appointed School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi for the task. 

As the draft report suggests measures for development of tourism and employment generation, it stresses on restraining industrial and other polluting activities. The zone is considered sensitive in terms of air pollution by the Central Pollution Control Board and thus reducing vehicle emitted pollutants remains a concern. Even as Bharatpur city recorded low levels of NO2, the PM2.5 and PM10 levels was recorded to remain much above the recommended levels almost all the time. Thus development of integrated transpiration facilities remains on priority of the authorities. 

Development of low carbon mobility plan has thus been suggested for all settlements of over five lakh population while comprehensive mobility plan have been proposed for areas with population between one to five lakh. 

The TTZ along with districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hatras, Etah and Bharatpur also covers part of Aligarh district of UP and Dholpur of Rajasthan. 

ACTION PLAN

• The action plan proposes to ban vehicles older than 10 years along with ban and sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the TTZ.
   
• The vision document is being compiled in compliance of SC order of December 8, 2017 in a case related to conservation of Taj Mahal.