Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Ranjit Sabikhi (left) Indian architect and Ramesh Khosla (right), Canadian designer, posing with His Highness the Aga Khan after receiving the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for their design of the Sheraton Mughal Hotel at Agra, India, 1980. Photo: AKDN / Christopher Little

If the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) doesn't improve the quality of conservation of Taj Mahal, the monument's maintenance could be handed over to the Aga Khan Foundation.

Talking to India Today, a senior ASI official said that the Ministry of Culture is planning to portion out the monument, giving the maintenance of its various areas to different organizations on the grounds of a Corporate Social Responsibility campaign that began in 2013 with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation signing up for the maintenance of the monument.

Spiritual leader of Ismaili sect Prince Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan visited the Taj Mahal on Wednesday. Following the visit, he commented "Thank you for letting me visit the Taj for the second time." He wrote the same comment in the monument's visitors' book.

A Central team today visited the Agra Fort and Mehta Bagh, near Taj Mahal, to assess the feasibility of the Uttar Pradesh Government's plan of holding the 350th anniversary celebrations of the monument of love there and decided to recommend to the Supreme Court in favour of the programme.The team led by Union Cultural Joint Secretary K Jayakumar, and comprising Advisor to the Union Culture Minister besides other Archaeological Survey of India officials made an on-the-spot inspection of the place, official sources told PTI.