Agra: In view of Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu and First Lady Sajida Mohammad's visit, Taj Mahal was shut for two hours for the general public from 8 to 10 am on Tuesday.
Muizzu and his wife arrived Agra's Kheria Airport at around 8.20 am by a special plane from New Delhi. They were welcomed by Cabinet minister Yogendra Upadhyay on behalf of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The convoy reached the VVIP East Gate of Taj Mahal and the couple stayed here for around an hour.
Booking counters of eastern and western gates of Taj Mahal were closed by the ASI for the President's visit. Taj Mahal's senior conservation assistant Prince Vajpayee said that Maldives President's schedule has come from the Ministry of External Affairs and Delhi ASI Headquarters.
"All preparations were made for the visit. Entry of general public was closed from the eastern and western gates of Taj Mahal at 8 am. Booking counters of both entry gates were also closed. This apart, the online ticket booking from the ASI website was suspended this morning. Tourists were allowed entry into Taj Mahal after sunrise but the premises were vacated before 8 am," he said.
Muizzu, who is on a five-day visit to India, arrived in the country on Sunday and is scheduled to attend various programmes and meetings.
He is the third Maldives President to visit Taj Mahal after a gap of 11 years. On January 4, 2013, the then President of Maldives Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom visited Taj Mahal and five years later, the then President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohammed Saleh came here with his wife Fazna Ahmed in December 2018.
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