With temperatures reaching up to 46 degrees Celsius yesterday, heat-harassed tourists began deserting the historical monuments in Taj city Agra.
Had it not been for the Jayreens (pilgrims) returning from the Ajmer urs, the number of visitors at the Taj Mahal would have dropped to a trickle from the thousands that daily make a beeline to enter the 17th century monument of love, said tourist guide Ved Gautam.
Uncool: With temperatures reaching up to 46°C degrees, the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra witnessed very few visitors yesterday, a rarity say tour u00a0guides. Pic/AFP
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“It’s a rare sight to see Taj entrance gates without a queue these days,” said hotelier Sandeep. “The heat took its toll. A tourist, Jai Ram from Chennai, collapsed at the Taj Mahal due to heat stroke. Another foreign visitor had to be given emergency medical treatment,” an ASI official said.
Agra’s hotels are deserted. The occupancy rate has come down steeply, said Rakesh Chauhan, president of the Agra Hotels and Restaurants Association.
The other historical monuments too are deserted. The weather office in Lucknow said on Monday: “No early respite in sight. The temperature could go up further.”
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