Taj closed to public as Agra gears up to welcome JD Vance

Agra: United States vice-president JD Vance and his family are set to embark on a one-day trip to Agra, where they will visit Taj Mahal on Wednesday. The monument will be closed to the public from sunrise until the conclusion of the visit.

The Agra administration on Tuesday confirmed that UP CM Yogi Adityanath will be present at the Agra airport to receive Vance, wife Usha Vance, and their children. According to the schedule, CM Adityanath will arrive in Agra at 8:30 am and will depart around 9:35 am after the official reception.

Ahead of the visit, security in Agra has been heightened, and final preparations are being made to beautify the route that Vance's convoy will take. The administration also announced the closure of schools in the city, with classes being conducted online for the day.

Agra (City) DCP Sonam Kumar said, "The security liaisoning meeting of different stakeholders has been held. Apart from CISF, archaeological department, Indian Air Force, and police, meetings were held with security agencies. Security personnel will be stationed along the route, and thorough verification will be conducted for all artists and school children involved in the program."

Official sources claimed that the intelligence agencies have already taken positions in Agra. A special contingent of US Commandos reached Agra by two special planes on Tuesday to further boost the security.