From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Precious stones and carvings on them go missing every year from the Tajmahal despite guards protecting it round the clock. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have spent Rs 2.50 crore in their replacement with the new stones to maintain the beauty of the historical monument.
Disclosure of the missing carved stones came in a reply by Information officer Maheshchandra Meena, who disclosed that the stones that have been stolen were removed from the graves of Shahjehan and Mumtaz as also the marbles put on the main building and the royal gate.
According to a historical book “The Taj and its environment” penned by Maulvi Moinuddin, as many as 42 kinds of stones were brought from different places for installation in the Taj, including Feroza from Tibet, 540 Akeek from Bagjdad, 143 Moonga from India as also 74 Neelams, 42 Jawaharat and 142 rubies.
The ASI spent Rs 15.77 lakh on the new stones installed on the southern and western minars (towers). It spent Rs 51 lakh on the new works in 2018-19, Rs 42 lakh in 2017-18, and Rs 20 lakh in 2015-16, according to the RTI reply.
