New Delhi: Expressing concern over the now stopped construction near the Taj, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on July 10 said it would soon send its team to Agra to assess the impact of the controversial corridor project near the world heritage site.

"We are concerned and the Minister (Jagmohan) is also equally concerned. The Minister has also agreed for the visit of the UNESCO mission," UNESCO director general Koichiro Matsuura told a press conference.

Asked about the composition of the team, he said it would comprise three to four officials and would visit "as soon as possible". He, however, did not give any specific time frame for the mission's visit to the site.

Matsuura, who met President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and other senior Ministers including Culture Minister Jagmohan, complimented the mass media for bringing to light the construction of the controversial Taj corridor, which has now been stopped at the intervention of the Central government.

"We came to know of this from newspaper reports. I appreciate the media, which alerted us. Otherwise, we would not have come to know about it," he said.

To a question whether the world body would now keep a watch on Hampi, another world heritage site in India following the Taj episode, he said "yes".

PTI