Restore Taj Mahal or demolish it, SC tells government

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed its anger and disgust over the government’s indifference and “apathy” towards protecting the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, and warned the government that it may step in and shut the monument down if it fails to act.

The court was expressing its displeasure over the government’s failure to produce a vision document which would preserve the monument of love for posterity.

A bench, comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, has been repeatedly asking the Union and the state governments for a blueprint to ensure that the Taj survives more than the predicted 400 years. “There is absolutely no willingness to protect the Taj Mahal. It has to be protected,” the bench said, warning it may shut it down if the government doesn’t step up its efforts.


In controversial remarks, the bench said “either you restore it or demolish it”, suggesting perhaps that the government indifference was such that it might as well demolish the monument.

Pollution has caused the monument to turn yellow over the years despite the court’s continuous monitoring efforts. The court has earlier banned all polluting industrial units in and around the monument.

It had also disallowed earlier attempts by the UP government to set up a major commercial centre near the monument. The famed marble structure has of late shown more of a sharp decline, a fact which has been brought to the court’s notice.

SC warned that in the alternative it may step in and shut down the monument which was a major foreign exchange earner for the state.

The observations attracted attention as the state government had earlier tried to distance itself from the major tourism attraction, citing its Islamic origins. The state had kept the tourist spot out of its tourism souvenir.

The court tore into the state government for its failure to promote the tourist spot to earn valuable foreign exchange.

“Eighty million people visit the Eiffel Tower. Our Taj Mahal is so much better. Do you know how much foreign exchange you could earn?” the bench demanded to know.