Yamuna waters touch walls of Taj Mahal for the first time in 45 years; more monuments put on alert

The water-level in Yamuna this year reached a new high when it touched the walls of Taj Mahal, Tuesday after 45 years.

According to the officials, the river’s rising level has surged to a height of 497.9 feet, surpassing the ‘low-flood level’ of 495 feet.

Heavy and continuous rainfall caused the river’s alarming rise, leading to the flooding of the nearby Dussehra Ghat.

The floodwaters also found their way into the outer sections of Itimad-ud-Daula’s tomb.

Concerns have been raised about the potential risks to other historical monuments like Rambagh, Mehtab Bagh, Zohra Bagh, Kala Gumbad, and Chini ka Rauza.

However, officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) assured that these monuments have not suffered any damage thus far. They further stated that the floodwaters had not penetrated the basement of the Taj Mahal.

The ASI officials explained that the architectural design of the Taj Mahal prevents water from entering the main mausoleum even during high floods.

Prince Vajpayee, a conservation assistant at the ASI, elaborated, “The Taj Mahal was built in a manner that safeguards the main mausoleum from water intrusion, even during severe floods. The last time the Yamuna River touched the rear wall of the Taj Mahal was during the floods of 1978.”

Vajpayee added, “The swollen river has now reached the rear wall of the monument. The garden behind the Taj Mahal was developed several decades ago when the water level in the Yamuna receded, creating an empty space.”

During the 1978 floods, the water level in the Yamuna surged to 508 feet, surpassing the high-flood mark in Agra. This mark is inscribed on the northern wall of the Basai Ghat Burj of the Taj Mahal.

At that time, water had seeped into the basement, flooding 22 rooms and leaving behind silt.

Subsequently, the ASI removed the wooden doors through which the water had entered the basement and constructed walls at the entrances from Basai and Dussehra ghats.

Meanwhile, rescue operations led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and local authorities are underway to save stranded individuals in the flood-hit low-lying areas of Agra and Mathura.

Over 500 people from 50 villages and 20 urban localities near the Yamuna have been safely relocated.

In Mathura district, the water level in the Yamuna has risen to 167.28 meters, exceeding the danger mark of 166 meters.

According to official estimates, more than 500 bighas of agricultural land have been submerged in Agra and Mathura districts.

Additionally, approximately 100 villages and urban areas have been without electricity for the past two days. The residents of flood-affected areas in Mathura report shortages of essential supplies such as food and drinking water.