No taker for Taj Mahal in government's `Adopt a Heritage' scheme

NEW DELHI: When the Union tourism ministry announced its first list of 14 heritage sites `adopted' by private groups under its Adopt a Heritage' programme on Wednesday , the Taj Mahal, it turned out, had found no takers.

The heritage monuments and sites snapped up for maintenance and upkeep by private players included Delhi's Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, Purana Qila, Safdarjung's Tomb and Agrasen ki Baoli; Odisha's Sun Temple, Ratnagiri monuments and the Rajarani temple; the ruins of Hampi; Leh Palace; Anjanta and Ellora caves; Mattancherry Place in Kochi; Gangotri Temple premises and the Gomukh trail and Stok Kangri in Ladakh.

The tourism ministry issued letters of intent to seven private entities who adopted 14 heritage sites under the scheme.

Tourism secretary Rashmi Verma said that while the ministry had not found private entities coming forward to adopt the Taj Mahal just yet, the heritage monument would remain available for adoption in future.

SC to hear UP's Taj parking plea
A day after ordering the demolition of a multi-layer parking lot being constructed in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal, the Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea of the UP government for a stay on the order and posted the case to Friday.

UP additional advocate general Aishwarya Bhati pleaded before a bench, headed by Justice J Chelameswar, to grant an urgent hearing as the SC passed the order without hearing the state's contention. She contended that the state government could not argue the case on Tuesday when the order was passed as the counsel could not reach the podium due to overcrowding in the courtroom. The SC had passed the demolition order after it was alleged that the construction could hit the environment around Taj.