Historians and conservationists in the Taj city feel "it is time to overhaul the 150 year old monolithic institution, imparting a degree of professionalism and a sense of pride in the work being done by the institution which should not only be open, transparent but also interactive." 

Unfortunately, this august body run by Babus has so far shown no inclination to change with the times and respond to challenges, but is being run as an extension department of the government of India, according to tourist guide Ved Gautam.

Agra, the only city in the world with 3 world heritage monuments and numerous historical  buildings, is a glaring example of how government agencies care for the heritage treasure.

Despite hundreds of crores spent on war against pollution to save the Taj Mahal, India's number one star tourist attraction, continues to remain an object of dismal neglect. Neither the Supreme Court nor the ASI have been able to resolve some of the pending issues that threaten its bare survival.

The dry Yamuna river-bed is the most serious threat according to historians and conservationists who time and again have been drawing attention to the degeneration of a river into a sewage canal. 

"Since the authorities concerned have been refusing to allow independent experts to monitor the health of the 17th century precious marble marvel, more importantly opening the inner chambers to investigate the stability and condition of the foundation of the gigantic monument, it is natural for people to fear and raise alarm. Some say it is sinking, others find the minarets tilting. If the highly polluted and toxic sewage continued to seep in the river bed at the rear of the Taj Mahal, it could have a corroding effect on the foundation which rests on a series of wells," says Surendra Sharma, president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society in Agra.

What are the chief threats to the Taj? Conservationist Shravan Kumar Singh told Agratoday.in: "dry river- bed, high suspended particulate matter in the ambient air, increasing level of toxic gases like NO2 due to increased number of vehicles on the road, against around 40,000 in 1985, today the number has crossed seven lakhs, degradation of green cover, mining in the Aravali range leading to gaps which  allow dust-laden winds of the desert to directly hit the monuments, and finally the failure of the government agencies to control crowd, each year the number of visitors is increasing. They do not  have professional managers to take care of monuments. The Babus or the mandarins in the ASI have  been accused of corrupt practices, particularly in the construction and repair fields, reselling of  entrance tickets."

Senior tourism industry leader Rajiv Tiwari said, "ritualistically celebrating the heritage day without doing anything tangible other than allowing ticket free entry to the monuments, makes no sense as half a dozen other recommendations of the  International Council of Monuments and Sites, (ICOMOS) as also of the UNESCO have not been implemented," . This day offers an opportunity to raise the public's awareness about the diversity of our cultural treasure and the efforts that are  required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability, he adds. "I am afraid, the ASI has not been doing its work sincerely, it has failed to implement and use the powers that the Monuments Act gives it. One sees a clear lack of commitment and vision in its approach,"  Tiwari told Agratoday.in.

And as the ASI celebrates is 150th foundation day this year, valid questions about its capability to restore and conserve India's rich cultural heritage are being directed at it. The question now being  debated in the Taj city is whether the ASI alone should have the exclusive right to restoration and  preservation of monuments or should the 150 year old monolithic organization, founded by visionary Alexender Cunningham agree to share the responsibility of maintenance and upkeep with other  professional bodies.