04:19Dozens of tourists flocked to see the beauty of the Taj Mahal when a thick smog obscured a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Agra on Tuesday.
Footage shows the Taj Mahal covered with smog, and visitors taking photos of it from a distance. They could also be seen queuing to enter the area and observing the marble mausoleum and its territory after the smog faded by the afternoon.
"The Taj Mahal is not just a Taj Mahal. It is a part of the world. So the government should do something and protect and save this monument," stated Salman Khan, a tour guide, adding that "if there was no pollution, the Taj Mahal would have looked even better."
Dr Suber, a tourist, shared that they came to the Taj Mahal viewpoint to observe the site but they 'couldn't enjoy the beauty' due to the high Air Quality Index (AQI) and air pollution.
"The pollution level is increasing day by day. It [Taj Mahal] is not visible from here. The eyes are irritated, and I am facing a lot of trouble going around," he persisted.
According to media reports, it has been a while since air pollution began to hide the Taj Mahal and other areas in Agra, as figures show the average AQI in the city on October 26 being 106, which is classified as 'moderate'. The highest recorded AQI, 190, was documented in Manoharpur, which is also ranked as 'moderate'.
Several factors allegedly contribute to high air pollution levels during the winter months, including dust and vehicular pollution, dry-cold weather, stubble burning, agricultural residue burning after harvest, and commuting.
'We can hardly see anything' - Taj Mahal disappears under thick smog amid worsening air pollution in Agra
Dozens of tourists flocked to see the beauty of the Taj Mahal when a thick smog obscured a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Agra on Tuesday.
Footage shows the Taj Mahal covered with smog, and visitors taking photos of it from a distance. They could also be seen queuing to enter the area and observing the marble mausoleum and its territory after the smog faded by the afternoon.
"The Taj Mahal is not just a Taj Mahal. It is a part of the world. So the government should do something and protect and save this monument," stated Salman Khan, a tour guide, adding that "if there was no pollution, the Taj Mahal would have looked even better."
Dr Suber, a tourist, shared that they came to the Taj Mahal viewpoint to observe the site but they 'couldn't enjoy the beauty' due to the high Air Quality Index (AQI) and air pollution.
"The pollution level is increasing day by day. It [Taj Mahal] is not visible from here. The eyes are irritated, and I am facing a lot of trouble going around," he persisted.
According to media reports, it has been a while since air pollution began to hide the Taj Mahal and other areas in Agra, as figures show the average AQI in the city on October 26 being 106, which is classified as 'moderate'. The highest recorded AQI, 190, was documented in Manoharpur, which is also ranked as 'moderate'.
Several factors allegedly contribute to high air pollution levels during the winter months, including dust and vehicular pollution, dry-cold weather, stubble burning, agricultural residue burning after harvest, and commuting.
Dozens of tourists flocked to see the beauty of the Taj Mahal when a thick smog obscured a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Agra on Tuesday.
Footage shows the Taj Mahal covered with smog, and visitors taking photos of it from a distance. They could also be seen queuing to enter the area and observing the marble mausoleum and its territory after the smog faded by the afternoon.
"The Taj Mahal is not just a Taj Mahal. It is a part of the world. So the government should do something and protect and save this monument," stated Salman Khan, a tour guide, adding that "if there was no pollution, the Taj Mahal would have looked even better."
Dr Suber, a tourist, shared that they came to the Taj Mahal viewpoint to observe the site but they 'couldn't enjoy the beauty' due to the high Air Quality Index (AQI) and air pollution.
"The pollution level is increasing day by day. It [Taj Mahal] is not visible from here. The eyes are irritated, and I am facing a lot of trouble going around," he persisted.
According to media reports, it has been a while since air pollution began to hide the Taj Mahal and other areas in Agra, as figures show the average AQI in the city on October 26 being 106, which is classified as 'moderate'. The highest recorded AQI, 190, was documented in Manoharpur, which is also ranked as 'moderate'.
Several factors allegedly contribute to high air pollution levels during the winter months, including dust and vehicular pollution, dry-cold weather, stubble burning, agricultural residue burning after harvest, and commuting.