Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Government today (Sep 27, 2004) said there was no hitch in the inauguration of the Taj Mahotsav in Agra to mark the 350 years of Mughal monument, as it has already obtained the proper permission of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the same.

"The inauguration of the Taj Mahotsav at the Agra Fort today is being organised after obtaining permission from the ASI and there is no problem in going ahead with it," State's Tourism Minister, Kokab Hamid told sources by phone from Agra. "The Governor T V Rajeshwar and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav have already reached Agra to attend the function which is scheduled to start later in the day," Hamid said.

On the Supreme Court observations today, Kokab Hamid said, the State Government has approached it for opening the Taj for night viewing which was stopped in 1984 and the case has been listed for Oct 5, 2004.

"The Apex Court has been approached to allow night viewing of the Mughal monument with all the proper documents along with the ASI backing and the outcome would only be known on Oct 5, 2004 next," Hamid said.

"The night viewing of Taj, if permitted by the Apex Court, will be opened only after Oct 14, 2004 when the skies become clearer," he said.

"The next function in the series of programmes planned for the year long celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the Taj is slated for Oct 28, 2004 on the banks of Yamuna and subsequent programmes at Sikandara and Itamadullah which are at a distance from the Taj Mahal," he added.