The water level in Yamuna this year reached a new high when it touched the walls of the Taj Mahal, Tuesday after 45 years.
According to the officials, the river’s rising level has surged to a height of 497.9 feet, surpassing the ‘low-flood level’ of 495 feet.
Heavy and continuous rainfall caused the river’s alarming rise, leading to the flooding of the nearby Dussehra Ghat.
The floodwaters also found their way into the outer sections of Itimad-ud-Daula’s tomb.
Concerns have been raised about the potential risks to other historical monuments like Rambagh, Mehtab Bagh, Zohra Bagh, Kala Gumbad, and Chini ka Rauza.
However, officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) assured that these monuments have not suffered any damage thus far. They further stated that the floodwaters had not penetrated the basement of the Taj Mahal.
The ASI officials explained that the architectural design of the Taj Mahal prevents water from entering the main mausoleum even during high floods.
The last time the Yamuna River touched the rear wall of the Taj Mahal was during the floods of 1978.
During the 1978 floods, the water level in the Yamuna surged to 508 feet, surpassing the high-flood mark in Agra. This mark is inscribed on the northern wall of the Basai Ghat Burj of the Taj Mahal.
At that time, water had seeped into the basement, flooding 22 rooms and leaving behind silt.
Subsequently, the ASI removed the wooden doors through which the water had entered the basement and constructed walls at the entrances from Basai and Dussehra ghats.
