The Supreme Court today directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file within four weeks a vision document for protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal.


The apex court also directed the state government to explain why there was a sudden flurry of activities in and around the Taj Mahal and the Taj Trapezium Zone and why leather industries and hotels were coming up there.


TTZ is an area of about 10,400 sq kms spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan. "You file the vision document within four weeks,"a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. "There is sudden flurry of activities in TTZ. Is there any particular reason for that? Leather industries and hotels are coming up there. Why? the bench asked Additional Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the state.


Mehta told the top court that he would get instructions on this issue and get back to it. Meanwhile, the state government filed a separate application for cutting 234 trees for laying pipelines for water supply in Agra city. -- PTI