In a first, the Agra Municipal Corporation in India's Uttar Pradesh state issued notices to the Archaeological Survey of India to pay property taxes and water bills for the world-famous Taj Mahal, Indian media reported on Tuesday.
But that's not the whole story: the Mughal-era Agra Fort also received a notice for taxes worth INR 50 million ($604,338), Raj Kumar Patel, the ASI's superintending archaeologist of Agra Circle, told Indian media.
The superintending archaeologist protested both taxes, noting that they cannot be applied to the monument because the property tax, or house tax, is not applicable to monument premises. As for the water notice, in the past, "no such demand has been made and we do not have any water connection that we use for any commercial purposes."
"The lawns that we maintain inside the Taj complex are for public service and there is no question of dues," he added.
Meanwhile, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Sarita Singh, also in charge of the area where the Taj Mahal is located, said that an investigation into the matter has been initiated.
Both monuments are listed among the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites.
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal in 1632. The mausoleum was finished in 1653, while Agra Fort was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565.