Barack Obama's Taj Mahal trip cancelled; Agra DM denies local reasons for change of plan

Agra, Jan 24: Just a day before the arrival of US President Barack Obama to India, his trip to Agra has been cancelled, UP government officials confirmed on Saturday. Obama was scheduled to visit the 17th-century monument with his wife Michele Obama on Jan 27.

Meanwhile, Agra DM too confirmed about cancellation of US President's visit to the

but cleared there wasn't any local reason for the same.

It is being said that the US President has cut short his India trip to visit Saudi Arabia.

As per a Supreme Court directive no diesel or petrol driven vehicle is permitted within a 500-metre radius of the Taj, hence VIPs are allowed to travel in a battery operated car only to reach the site. This was the reason the Indian security agencies and their US counterparts failed to reach a common consensus over facilitating US President's visit, sources in the External Affairs Ministry were quoted as saying.

We have been conveyed visit to Taj is cancelled, no local reason behind it : Pankaj Kumar, DM Agra on #ObamaInIndia pic.twitter.com/elfwzzFXxy

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 24, 2015

TV reports also suggested that Obama, who is the chief guest to India's Republic Day celebrations, may fly out early from the country.

The Taj Mahal and its surrounding areas are being spruced up ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Agra. As many as 600 workers were deployed to make the stage ready before the American president's visit.

OneIndia News