Yamuna water rising: Cells of ‘Baby Taj’, mausoleum built by Nur Jehan, submerged; Mehtab Bagh flooded

AGRA: As the Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark in Agra on Wed, water seeped into nearly a dozen underground cells on the river-facing side of Itmad-ud-Daulah, the mausoleum built by Mughal queen, Nur Jehan for her father, often called the ‘Baby Taj'because of it's striking resemblance to the monument of love. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, about 12 underground chambers of Itmad-ud-daulah had been flooded as the river remained above the danger mark for the fourth consecutive day. The Agra administration said that the Yamuna stood at 152.6 meters at 5 pm on Wednesday -- above the danger mark but still below the "high flood level"."The cells on the side of the Yamuna have water inside, around five to six feet deep in multiple cells. We faced a similar situation in 2023, but there was no significant damage. I can say more only after a survey and analysis. We expect an increase in moisture in those areas, but no major structural issue. The main mausoleum is far away and unaffected," said Ankit Namdev, the monument's senior conservation assistant.Built in the 1620s by Nur Jahan, wife of Emperor Jahangir, Itimad-ud-Daulah was commissioned in memory of her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg. While the tomb remained open to visitors, Agra's another famous landmark Mehtab Bagh -- built by Shah Jahan to admire the Taj in moonlight -- located north of the Taj Mahal complex and the Agra Fort -- was reported submerged, prompting the administration to stop tourist entry. The Taj View Point, a tourist facility developed by the Agra Development Authority near Mehtab Bagh to provide visitors with a panoramic view of the Taj Mahal from across the Yamuna river, had been flooded, officials said, adding that some respite is expected from Wednesday night, with forecasts suggesting the water level will begin to recede.Flooding had also spread to low-lying areas of the city, including Belanganj and Dussehra Ghat, where water had accumulated in homes and marketplaces. Agra's additional district magistrate (finance and registration), Shubhangi Shukla, said, "Over 214 people are living in the two flood relief camps established by the administration. Once they go home, we will provide relief kits to them."On Tuesday evening, divisional commissioner Shailendra Kumar Singh had visited the affected areas. After surveying the situation, he directed officials to form teams to assess losses so that people could receive appropriate compensation. Responding to residents' concerns, Singh had said that damaged roads caused by waterlogging would be repaired and additional preventive measures would be taken.