Trump, Melania to spend an hour at Taj Mahal

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will tour the Taj Mahal on the first day of their visit to India. From Ahmedabad, Trumps will go to Agra and will stay here for at least two hours.

According to reports, Trump will stay in the 17th century monument for one hour. Trump’s aeroplane will land at Agra at 4.45 p.m. on Monday where he will be greeted by UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and governor Anandiben Patel.

From the airport, Trump’s convoy will move to hotel Amar Vilas and from here Trump will ride battery operated Golf carts to the Taj Mahal at 5.15 p.m.

They will enter monument from Eastern Gate

They will enter the monument from the eastern gate and will get down at the forecourt of the building, right in front of the royal gate. From here they will enter into the Taj through its facade, the main gate and will see in full view for the first time the marble structure, one of the seven wonders of the world.

After entering into the main campus, Trumps will walk from the left side of the water channel and will sit at one of the marble benches installed in 1908 by Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of British India when he removed the wooden benches on the platform of the central tank and replaced them with the four Mughal-style marble benches.

Diana bench

The bench was later known as Diana bench when she came visiting Agra in 1992 and got a solo picture of herself clicked. Since then there has not been any head of state who has skipped a photo op on the same bench when visiting the monument with the Taj Mahal in the backdrop.

Trump will also get his picture taken with his wife sitting on this bench, as a memory of the monument of love.

CCTV cameras installed across Agra

All important locations in the city will be monitored by the police from CCTV Control Room, during US President Donald Trump’s visit here on Monday.

“Around 30 cameras have been placed at 18 locations on the scheduled route of US President from Kheria airport to the Taj Mahal,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) B Kumar.

The entire route is being monitored with the help of these CCTV cameras.

According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Taj Mahal will remain closed for the general public from 12 noon on February 24 during the US President’s visit.

At least 3,000 artistes will perform Ramlila, Raslila and Nautanki of Bundelkhand in around 21 places on way from the Kheria airport and the East Gate of the Taj.

Elaborate security arrangements are being made in the city in view of Trump’s visit.

As many as 10 paramilitary companies and 5,000 security personnel have been deployed for the high profile visit.