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Taj, Agra decked up for the General

Taj Mahal, the monument of love, sparkles. The grime has temporarily faded from Agra after government agencies hurriedly administered fresh coats of paint across the length and breadth of the city and the elaborate security bandobast is complete.

Agra is all set to host the most momentous event in the history of India and Pakistan in the 21st century - summit level talks between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf to discuss bilateral issues.

Gen Musharraf and his wife would also be paying a visit to the 17th century monument to love - the Taj Mahal - on Sunday.

The Archeological Survey of India, which takes care of the country's monuments, has in the last few days given a face-lift to the monument, though they could do little about the nearly-dry Yamuna river.

Dozens of ASI workers have worked hard in the last few days to remove the traces of dirt and pollution on the Taj to ensure that it will glow in the evening sunlight when General Pervez Musharraf and his wife Begum Sehba Musharraf visit the marble monument on Sunday.

ASI officials said that cleaning up the monument had always been a tough task. Packs of Fuller's Earth (locals call it Multani mitti) are used to scrub the marbled interiors and exteriors of the Taj.

"It is a time-consuming work. But we have completed the cleaning process. Look at it now. Doesn't she dazzle and sparkle now?" an ASI officer pointed out.

In recent years, the Taj had been similarly cleaned up only during the musical performance of Yanni, visits of the late Princess Diana and the former American president Bill Clinton, he informed.

Hoards of security personnel have been placed outside the monument and visitors are thoroughly checked before being let in.

Due to security reasons, the Taj will not be open to visitors on Sunday when the Pakistan president and his wife will visit the place.

Besides the Taj, it is the summit venue which is attracting maximum attention from the security point of view. The Uttar Pradesh police and the Special Protection Group (SPG) have already cordoned off the Jaypee Palace Hotel, which is also where Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be put up.

The Amar Vilas Hotel, which will host the Pakistan president and his delegation, has been spruced up.

Police officials said the Vajpayee and Musharraf would being given a three-tier security.

While the Special Protection Group will handle the close proximity security, central security agencies, including the intelligence wing, will form the second tier. Uttar Pradesh police personnel, deployed in the streets of Agra, would form the third tier.

The road leading from Amar Vilas to Jaypee Palace has been repaired and freshly tarred. It will be closed to traffic on Sunday.

Principal Secretary Naresh Dayal, who is responsible for coordinating on behalf of the state government, said that the area around Amar Vilas Hotel and Jaypee Palace Hotel would be declared as a prohibited zone from Saturday morning onwards.

Barricades have also been put up at the entry points to the city.

Dog squads, bomb and mine detection teams are seen moving around the hotels to sanitise the area.

Officials said army doctors had been put on duty for the summit.

All mobile phones in and around Agra have been put on surveillance. A customer can buy a pre-paid mobile SIM card only after showing sufficient identification, like a driving licence or election identity card.

Moreover, the UP government has set up a special task force to ensure that water and power supply and the telecommunication network in the city does not collapse.

Agra, which continues to reel under heat and humidity, is known for frequent power breakdowns.

Keeping with this, despite the arrangements made by the state administration, power supply went off for more than six hours on Friday.

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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