Agra: A vertical garden built as a selfie point near the VIP gate of Taj Mahal collapsed Wednesday, raising questions about the quality of new construction in Agra that have come up to welcome G-20 delegates.
The whole garden collapsed on Thursday morning. Vice Chairman of the Agra Development Authority Chirchit Gaur blamed a “monkey attack” for the debacle.
“We are trying to repair the garden and also prevent further damage,” he told ThePrint, adding that several other vertical gardens have been built across the city. He also said there were no tourists in the garden at the time it came down.
Following the incident, social activists have demanded that the quality of all fresh construction in Agra be checked. Activist Sami Agha told The Print that this area has often been in public discussion – particularly around VIP visits.
“When former US President Donald Trump visited Agra, they brainstormed on how to stop the stench from the nearby drain,” Aghai said, adding, “For this, the administration made several arrangements. This time, the filthy area around the drain was beautified for G-20 representatives.”
He said the vertical garden came up to block the view of the drain and the area around it. Agha also said the administration was not being able to find a permanent solution to the drain problem.
Major roads in Agra have been spruced up, and installations erected as part of a nationwide infrastructure revamp for India’s G-20 presidency.