The Taj Mahal will be shut for the public from 12 noon on Monday, 24 February, due to US President Donald Trump's visit to Agra, said the Archaeological Survey of India on Friday.
ANI reported that Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, Superintendent Agra Division, ASI, made the announcement.
"Due to security reasons, Taj Mahal will be closed for public from 12 noon on the day when US President Donald Trump visits the monument. President Trump will visit Taj Mahal on February 24," he said.
First Lady Melania Trump will also be accompanying her husband to the monument, according to the itinerary.
Preparations in Full Swing for Visit
Preparations are underway to beef up security ahead of the visit by the US delegation, that will also include Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
“All the houses, shops, restaurants and hotels on the main route and near the Taj Mahal area have been identified. The verification process is about to finish. Some teams have also been tasked with getting the verification done.”Superintendent of Police (City) Botre Rohan Pramod
The walls on the route from Kheria Airport, where the delegation will land, to the Taj Mahal, are being painted with images of Trump, Modi and slogans of welcome ahead of his visit. Water from the Ganga river has been released into the Yamuna to remove the stagnant water.
Trump arrives in India on 24 February on a two-day trip, and will cover Ahmedabad and New Delhi, as well as Agra. The official itinerary includes engagements like a 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad, a state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan, press conferences and official meetings.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)