The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said there is no hitch in the inauguration of the Taj Mahotsav in Agra to mark the 350th year of the Mughal monument as it has already obtained the permission of the Archaeological Survey of India for the same.
"The inauguration of the Taj Mahotsav at the Agra Fort is being organised after obtaining permission from the ASI and there is no problem in going ahead with it," Tourism Minister Kokab Hamid told PTI over the phone from Agra.
He was reacting to the SC declining permission to hold the celebrations near the World Heritage monument without the clearance of the Archaeological Survey of India and
central security agencies.
"Governor T V Rajeshwar and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav have already reached Agra to attend the function
which is scheduled to start later in the day," Hamid said.
On the Supreme Court observations, Hamid said the state government has approached the court for opening the Taj for
night viewing and the case has been listed for October 5.
"The next function in a series of programmes planned for the year-long celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the Taj is slated for October 28 on the banks of Yamuma and the subsequent programmes at Sikandara and Itamadullah which are at a distance from the Taj Mahal," he added.