Taj Mahal 'curse' for Agra? BJP MP blames Taj Trapezium Zone for hindering development; proposes IT hub

NEW DELHI: BJP MP Rajkumar Chahar on Wednesday said that the city's iconic Taj Mahal had become a "curse". The BJP MP told parliament that development in Agra was slowing due to strict regulations under the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) and NGT norms.Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the winter session, he said the Taj Mahal is a global landmark but tight regulations in the area around the monument have become a “curse” for the city. According to him, these rules make it hard for industries to grow and for new jobs to come up. “The beauty of the Taj Mahal has become a curse for the people of Agra. To protect its beauty, rules under the Taj Trapezium Zone, TTZ, and the NGT do not allow industries to be set up in Agra, and because of this, the youth of Agra are left unemployed,” he said.Chahar pointed out Agra’s strong connectivity through major expressways and said the city has the potential to expand if given the right support. He pushed for an IT hub in Agra, saying the city needs development that protects the Taj’s beauty while creating work opportunities for people.Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) is a defined area around the Taj Mahal to protect the monument from pollution. The Supreme Court of India delivered a ruling on December 30, 1996 regarding industries covered under the TTZ, in response to a PIL seeking to protect the Taj Mahal from environmental pollution.