The swollen Yamuna river has reached the walls of the Taj Mahal here, a development only witnessed in 1978 and 2010, even as the Archaeological Survey of India said the increased water levels pose no threat to the iconic monument.
According to officials, the water level crossed the ‘medium flood level’ of 499 feet.
It reached 499.97 feet here on Tuesday due to which the water touched the walls of the Taj Mahal and submerged a garden behind it.
An official of the ASI’s Agra Circle said the main mausoleum is designed on a raised structure which stands on ‘Chameli farsh’ . And is built on a foundation of 42 wells supported by a structure of sal woods.
Recalling the 1978 floods, Raj Kishore Raje, a historian of the Agra city, said. “That year, the Yamuna crossed ‘high flood level’ of 508 feet in Agra following which the floodwaters entered rooms of the basement (of Taj Mahal) under the Chameli farsh. The rooms were filled with silt.”
Munawwar, an ASI staff, said the water reached till Sandali Masjid on the East Gate of the Taj Mahal in 1978 and on the West Gate, it reached till Khan-e-alam nursery.
Two temporary walls were also created to protect the monument from the flood water.
One wall was created at Basai Ghat and the other at Dussehra ghat, he said.