AGRA SOS TO POLICE: SAVE TOURISTS FROM TOUTS | AGRA NEWS

2\07\2010 AGRA NEWS
The city with three world heritage monuments is plagued with menace of touts.To tackle the growing number of touts around the monuments, the Agra office of tourism department has urged the Agra division commissioner Sudhir M.Bobde to intervene in the mater and free the the monuments of the touts.
The commissioner has now directed the agra police to take up the issue and has written to Deepesh Juneja ,deputy inspector general , agra  |
The DIG now plans to lodge a campaign to check the menace of these touts. The police also planning to ramove the encroachments near the monuments.
The campaign will also help smoothen the movement of the large number of tourists expected to visit the city during the Commonwealth Games.
Juneja said," Letter has been received from commissioner agra Division and action is to be initiated against these touts operative around monuments. This had been otherwise, a regular exercise and action continues to place a check on these touts. However ,a little laxity helps these miscreants get away and that is what we would address within a week time or so Beside this we have also to focus on encroachments at gates of monuments and mainly Taj Mahal."
The problem of touts is nothing new for this tourist city. The touts are mostly youths who hang around near the monuments ,railway station, bus stands and others spots frequently visited by the tourists.
They are either found pressuring tourists into buying goods that they sell or coerce them into visiting a specific shop, emporium or hotel.
The tourists are a harried lat as they find it difficult to refuse the touts because of the language barrier.
Even the policemen posted at the monuments are accused of turning a blind eye towards these touts.To avoid unruly scenes , even the guides accompanying the tourists avoid a direct confrontation with the touts.
Earlier,a special police team - Tourist police- had been formed to help the tourists but it too had limited powers.
The Tourist police is supposed to hand over such nuisance makers to local police who are accused of letting off the touts lightly.As a result, the touts soon return to their old business . This has resulted in the tourist police becoming a 'toothless' force.
Moreover, the situation is worse in Fatehpur Sikri, a township 40 Km from city where these touts work as an 'organised' crime ring and are allegedly backed by the 'forces' there.



source - HT

AGRA GETS READY FOR WEEK - LONG SHAH JAHAN'S URS | AGRA NEWS

01\07\2010 AGRA NEWS
The 355 th urs of Mughal Emperor shah jahan is to be observed from july 9 to july 11 at the Taj Mahal in agra.
A special 'chadar' measuring 450 metres is to be offered to mark the death anniversary of the Mughal king and no visitor to the Taj Mahal would be charged during the initial two days of Urs while on the third day, the entry will be entirely free.
Sayyed Munawwar Ali, the state chief convener for Uttar Pradesh Aman Committee,said the 'urs' is to be observed from July 9 to 11 .
He said," These dates depend on the sighting of the moon . There has been some confusion over the dates as earlier they were settled as July 8,9 and 10 but were later changed due to the moon's sighting."
"This change has been communicated to the Archaeological survey of India and its director general has already issued notification for allowing visitors on Friday, July 9 to the Taj Mahal . After the namaz of 'Juma' on Friday, the 'gusl' would be various programmes including 'quawalli' till the Taj Mahal closes for the day on Friday."
He said the 'chadar' would be offered on the third day and the celebrations would continue all day long. On all the three days, the traditional 'naubat' and 'shehnai' would be played at the gates of the taj mahal .
R.K. Diwedi, conservation archaeologist for the ASI deputed at Taj Mahal ,said ,"For the initial two days ,no one would be charged a fee to enter the taj after 2 p.m due to urs ."
The ASI has to undertake special work to manage the inflow of visitors and devotees during these three days. There are restrictions on playing band and drum and also on carrying banners, posters at Taj Mahal premises.
Munawwar Ali said the followers of Shah Jahan would cooperate with the ASI and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while Urs is organised at the Taj Mahal .


source  - HT

SPECIAL STICKERS TO EASE COMMUTING ON AGRA-DELHI JAIPUR ROUTE | AGRA NEWS

01\07\2010 AGRA NEWS
Hoping to boost tourism in the famed golden Triangle - Delhi - Agra - jaipur  - during the commonwealth Games in October , the union ministries of tourism and surface transport have facilitated tourist movement.
The ministry use Agra's regional transport office to issue stickers to travel agents registered with it. These stickers once pasted on the vehicles carrying tourists will be free from checks thereby easing movement in the golden area.
Regional transport officer Agra,  V.K Sonkaiya said, "These stickers are approved by the ministers and will be issued by the RTO. Once issued to the agents, they will be the authorised to move freely with-out hindrances in the region.
Around 800 stickers have been issued. Around one lakh tourists are expected to come to the region when the Games start in Delhi and most will commute by road to reach Agra and Jaipur.
To facilitate the tourist movement,special vehicles will be arranged which have been approved by tourism ministry. These include buses,mini buses,cars and multi-utility vans. Only 800 will be ferrying tourists on this golden triangle route.
Sonkaiya said till date there was title awareness about the stickers but soon a campaign would be started to create awareness among the travel agents. The travel agents wanting to ply on this route will have to send their registration papers to the ministry and after proper investigation ,the stickers will be issued to them.


source - HT

WANT PEACE ? MAKE A VISIT TO THIS TEMPLE | AGRA NEWS

29\06\2010 AGRA NEWS
Our state is abundant with places which are still undiscovered. Being famous for krishna temples, the city has other deities ' temples too. Situated in the serene surroundings, Gokaran Mahadev is an inimitable temple to visit in Mathura. The significance of the place lies in its story.
When TOA spoke to Manish Sharma and Subhash Sharma, mahants of the temple who have been looking after the temple for nearly 30 years, they narrated a tale behind the development of the temple.Once there lived a childless brahmin couple. The Brahmin named Aatmadev was keen to have a child whereas his wife named Dhundli, an arrogant lady, was unenthusiastic about having a child. Pleased with his devotion towards almighty, a sage gave it to his wife to eat. His wife gave the fruit to cow and adopted her sister's child who possessed diabolic attributes . Soon after the episode a child was born out of the cow's ear. The child resembled cow in its appearance and was blessed with godly powers. He was a great devote of Lord Shiva. The adopted child was cursed with Akal Mrityu. He salvaged his step brother of the devilish elements and helped him to attain salvation. After the incident Lord Shiva blessed him with a boon that he would be worshipped  as 'Gokaran Mahadev ', and that's how the temple got the popularity.