NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court yesterday sought response from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on a plea filed by an advocate seeking permission for visitors at Taj Mahal to view the marble mausoleum at night up to the Central Tank. A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur issued notice to ASI and other concerned authorities while seeking their reply in two weeks. Advocate Ajay Agrawal, a BJP leader, who filed the application and on whose application the order came said that visitors often complain that the view of the 17th century monument was not clear by the naked eyes because of such large distance. He said that visitors should be allowed to go up to the Central Tank, about 150 metres away from the main monument. At present, night viewing of Taj Mahal is allowed for five days during bright moon nights. These are two days before full moon night and two days after full moon night. Only 400 tourists in groups of 50 are allowed to view the Taj Mahal at night, for these five nights and that too, from red sand stone platform which a distance of over 300 metres, making clear moonlight views of Taj Mahal is very rare, especially in the winters.]]>
