First Draft Report of Taj Trapezium Zone

240 Pages·2017·6.98 MB·English

Taj Trapezium Zone
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PREPARATION OF VISION DOCUMENT
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First Draft Report
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Volume I
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July 2018

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i.Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND 1-1
1.2 INTRODUCTION TO TTZ 1-2
1.3 OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 1-3

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PART A: ISSUES AT TTZ, AGRA & PRECINCT LEVEL
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2 ENVIRONMENT ISSUES AT REGIONAL LEVEL
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2.1 GENERAL R 2-1
2.2 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE 2-1
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2.3 NATURAL RESOURCES 2-3
2.4 FOREST RESOURCE 2-6
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2.5 SURFACE WATER RESOURCE 2-6
2.6 GROUND WATER SRESOURCE 2-9
2.7 AIR POLLUTION 2-7
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2.8 WATER POLLUTION 2-18
2.9 HEALTH 2-20
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2.10 WASTE 2-27
2.11 DISASTER 2-31
2.12 EPIDEMICS 2-33
2.13 TERRORISM 2-35
2.14 INFRASTRUCTURE 2-35
2.15 ENERGY 2-56
2.16 HOUSING 2-37
2.17 AGRICULTURE 2-37
2.18 ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 2-38
2.19 INDUSTRIES 2-38

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3 ISSUES OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING

3.1 INTRODUCTION 3-1
3.2 SELECTION OF CITIES 3-11
3.3 ISSUES AT REGIONAL, CITY AND PRECINCT SCALE 3-12

4 LINKAGES AND TRANSPORTATION

4.1 TTZ LEVEL 4-1
4.2 AGRA LEVEL 4-1
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4.3 OTHER SETTLEMENTS IN TTZ 4-6
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4.4 TAJ PRECINCT LEVEL 4-8

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5 ISSUES OF HERITAGE: NATURAL, TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE
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5.1 REGIONAL SCALE: TTZ AREA 5-1
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5.2 CITY SCALE: AGRA CITY 5-18
5.3 PRECINCT SCALE: TAJ PRECINC T 5-31
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6 URBAN SETTLEMENT FSORM, SPACE AND IMAGE

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6.1 EMERGING ISSUES AT REGIONAL (TTZ) LEVEL 6-1
6.2 AGRA SPECIFIIC ASESSMENT 6-5
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6.3 ASSESSMENT OF OTHER SETTLEMENTS IN TTZ 6-15
6.4 ASSESSMENT AT TAJ PRECINCT LEVEL 6-26

PART B: STRATEGIES, RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTION PLAN

7 ANCHOR WISE STRATEGIES & RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 ANCHOR I: RESTORING THE BALANCE BETWEEN
ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT 7-1
7.2 ANCHOR II: REDEFINING THE ROLE OF RIVER 7-10
7.3 ANCHOR III: REGIONAL EQUITY AND NETWORKING
OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES 7-15
7.4 ANCHOR IV: DEFINING GROWTH TRAJECTORIES
AND FUNCTIONAL BASE 7-21
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7.5 ANCHOR V: ASSESSING INFRASTRUCTURE (PHYSICAL
AND SOCIAL) AND INCORPORATING FUTURE NEEDS 7-35
7.6 ANCHOR VI: MULTI-MODAL URBAN STRUCTURE AND
PUBLIC PLACES AND MOVEMENT PATTERNS 7-41
7.7 ANCHOR VII: REDEFINING THE IMAGE STRUCTURE 7-51

8 ACTION PLAN & TIMELINE

8.1 FIRST DRAFT ACTION PLAN 8-1
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1 Introduction

1.1 BACKGROUND
Concerns regarding the environmental threat to the Taj Mahal was voiced in the
Hon'ble Supreme Court through a Public Interest Litigation filed by the noted "Green"
Advocate Mr. M.C.Mehta. The Writ Petition No. 13381/84-M.C.Mehta V/s Union of
India & others raised several issues pertaining to the environmental pressures on the
monument as well as the socio-economic and physical conditions of the city. The
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concern regarding the environmental threat to the Taj has been articulated in the
landmark judgement of Hon'ble Justice Shri Kuldeep SinghF dated 30/12/96, “The Taj
is threatened with deterioration and damage not only by the traditional causes
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of decay, but also by the changing social and economic conditions which
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aggravate the situation with even more formidable phenomena of damage and
destruction."
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Originating as a result of the Writ Petition No. 13381/84-M.C.Mehta V/s the Union of

India & Others, the Taj ProtectioTn Mission refers to a group of projects intended to
check the deterioration of the Taj Mahal on account of the environmental pollution.
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The Central Pollution Control Board delineated the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) in
1983, on the basis ofR the weighted mean wind speed in twelve directions from Agra
to Mathura and Bharatpur. The boundaries of the zone were made keeping in mind
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the effect of Fany pollution source in this zone on the critical receptor- The Taj Mahal.
This area was declared as an “Air Pollution Protection Area.”
Preceding the 1996 judgement and following it many studies were commissioned on
identifying the factors deteriorating the Taj Mahal. These studies have also indicated
an improvement in air quality. First, the Court ordered that the polluting units in the
vicinity of the Taj Mahal be identified. Mainly foundries; glass and bangle
manufacturing units; and chemical and engineering industries were found to be using
coal and other polluting fuels. The court also ordered that the Gas Authority of India
Ltd would supply cleaner fuel—natural gas—to these units.The court, in its 1996
judgement and subsequently, asked for many other things to be done such as
creating a green belt; building a bypass for heavy traffic; ban on brick kilns within 20
km from the Taj; supply of uninterrupted power so that the use of generators is
negated; and ban on diesel-driven, light-duty vehicles and three-wheelers within 500
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metres of the monument. The court-ordered air quality-monitoring stations, located
both near the Taj and in the industrial outskirts of the city, to prove the difference.
Inspite of the above efforts the Taj Mahal and its environs is still under threat. It needs
to be assessed if there are new sources of pollution that were not accounted for; or
is it because of non-implementation of the directions of the court,or is it because the
new sources of pollution, development pressures and activity intensity thatis
threatening the monument.
the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has again upheld the protection of Taj and its
environs, in its Order dated 08.12.2017:
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“……In our opinion, a detailed and comprehensive vision document and plan
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with a futuristic perspective which can protect and preserve the Taj and its
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environs and indeed the Taj Trapezium Zone spread over six districts of Uttar
Pradesh and District Bharatpur in Rajasthan for a Rfew hundred years at least
should be prepared. This exercise will require expertise from all stake holders
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including those concerned with cultural heritage, historical heritage,
environment and wild life, etc. etc. and of course, prevention of pollution. The

concerned authorities will consult noTt only officials but also persons from the
civil society including the petitioner Mr. M.C.Mehta, who has spent more than
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33 years in making efforts to protect the Taj and its environs.…..”
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1.2 INTRODUCTION TO TTZ
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The Taj Trapezium ZFone (TTZ), which is in the form of trapezium, is bounded between
26045’N & 77015’ E to 27045’N & 77015’E in the west of Taj Mahal and in the East of
Taj Mahal between 27000’N & 78030’E to 27030’N & 780 30’E. The TTZ is spread over
6 Districts:
1. Agra: State of Uttar Pradesh
2. Mathura: State of Uttar Pradesh
3. Firozabad: State of Uttar Pradesh
4. Hatras: State of Uttar Pradesh
5. Etah: State of Uttar Pradesh
6. Bharatpur: State of Rajasthan
The Taj Trapezium zone also includes small parts of Aligarh and Dholpur. The region
as a whole encompasses an area of 10,400 sq. kms..Each of these regions has its
own importance in the contribution to the region’s economic growth. The natural and
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cultural setting in each administrative unit varies widely and promotes sectoral
development accordingly. The region covers sensitive areas such as the Taj Mahal
in Agra, Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Soor-Sarovar bird sanctuary in Agra,
and Mathura&Vrindavan are important religious destinations.
In view of the above court order, the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar
Pradesh, vide its Letter D.O. No. 989/ Agra-TTZ/ 2017 dated 27th November 2017
has invited the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi to prepare the Vision
Document and Comprehensive Action Plan for protection of Taj Mahal and its
surrounding Environment. An agreement was signed between the Taj Trapezium
Authority, Agra and School of Planning and Architecture, New TDelhi on 15th March
2018 for preparation of a vision document for sustainable development,
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environmental and heritage protection of the area along with a comprehensive action
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plan in reference to the environment and other matter based on the principles of
“Sustainability”. A draft Vision document was to Rbe submitted within four months after
signing of contract followed by the Final Vision Document within two months after
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incorporating the suggestions.

1.3 OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
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The task of preparation of the Vision Document for protecting the Taj Mahal for a
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couple of hundred years, assumes an understating and somewhat scenario building
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of the nature of development that would take shape in a hundred years. Even though
an ambitious task, it needs to be undertaken as the current trends of growth and
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developmenFt indicate a rapid decline of natural and cultural resources, thereby
deterioration of living conditions and inevitable neglect of built heritage. The Taj Mahal
is a metaphor, and any vision to protect it also means a vision for sustainable
development for a couple of hundred years. The team at the School of Planning and
Architecture, New Delhi (comprising of five disciplines of Environment Planning,
Urban Planning, Transport Planning, Heritage Conservation and Urban Design)
humbly acknowledges that even though this is a mammoth task, the present
document takes the initial steps to develop a comprehensive and integrated action
plan, based on field visits, stakeholder consultations, review of ongoing/proposed
projects/plans in the region (Refer Annexure 1.1 for appraisal of the projects/plans)
and factual assessments to address the protection of degraded ecosystems and
improve the quality of life in human settlements and thereby ensuring the protection
of the Taj Mahal. As part of methodology, assessment has been undertaken at three
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levels, TTZ level, Agra level and Immediate Taj Precinct level across above-
mentioned five disciplines to generate multi-sectoral as well as inter-disciplinary
perspective for issues at various scales.
The study is a framework document, limited by data made available within the
time period, short field visits and rapid overview of documents. It indicates a
development strategy towards sustainable development with broad suggestive
action plans and not detailed assessments or project reports.
This report is a first draft requiring further editing to iron out the overlaps and
minor restructuring of the content in order to address the Terms of Reference
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adequately.
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