Smog engulfs Taj Mahal, tourists disappointed

Agra, Nov 6: Amid the rising air pollution in northern India, a thick layer of smog has engulfed Agra, leaving tourists disappointed as they are unable to see the iconic Taj Mahal properly.
Domestic as well as overseas visitors have expressed dismay after they failed to capture the moments in their camera with the monument in the background.
On Monday, Agra District Magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami directed officials during a review meeting to take necessary steps to control the rising air pollution in the city. He has asked the authorities concerned to sprinkle water at the construction sites.
Shakeel Rafiq, a local tour guide, said tourists are disappointed when they do not find the Taj Mahal in the background in their pictures.
“On Sunday, I was with an elderly couple from Germany. We visited the monument at 8 am, but could not see the Taj properly from a distance. It made them disappointed,” Rafiq said.
Similar was the case with some tourists from Poland who had to visit around noon as they could not get a view of the Mughal-era monument in the morning, he said. Rajeev Saxena, president of the Tourism Guild of Agra, said it is a serious concern for tourists. Four tourists from the US cancelled a tour of other monuments in Agra after visiting the Taj Mahal as they could not see it properly, he said. (PTI)