Wednesday, November 9 2005 19:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Agra: There is no threat to the Taj Mahal from the reported inclination of its minarets as the tilt is not of an alarming proportion, the Agra zone of Archaeological Survey of India has said.

The ASI, according to reliable sources, has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the inclination in four minarets of the monument is not of an alarming proportion and does not pose any threat to the Taj.

The affidavit has been filed by D Dayalan, superintending Archaeologist of the Agra zone of the ASI on October 27 in response to the writ petition filed by Ajai Agarwal, Chairman of Agra Heritage Protection Committee stating that the tilting minarets were indicative of weakness developing in the structure.

The ASI affidavit counters the allegation by producing reports on the tilt from 1940 to the present day and asserting that the tilt had not increased and the structure had stablised over the years.

The affidavit states that the first study of the tilt carried out in 1940 stated that all the four minarets were tilting but if the minarets were protected properly against the weather the tilt was not dangerous.

In 1965, the Survey of India in its report on the tilt between 1940 and 1965 said that the tilt was highest in the south-western minaret, which showed an inclination of 8.5 inches from the base and the lowest 1.5 inches in the North-Western minaret, the other two minarets being inclined 5 inches from the base.