ASI to delist 18 centrally protected monuments, as they went 'missing'

In a significant development marking the first large-scale action in decades, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has announced plans to remove 18 centrally protected monuments from its registry, citing their diminished national significance.

This decision arises from a list of 24 ‘untraceable’ monuments identified by the Union Ministry of Culture and presented to a parliamentary committee last year.

If reports are to go by, included among the monuments set for delisting are notable sites like Kos Minar No.13 in Haryana, Gunner Burkill’s Tomb in Jhansi, BaraKhamba Cemetery in Delhi, Cemetery at Gaughat in Lucknow, and Telia Nala Buddhist ruins in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. 

The delisting of these monuments effectively releases the central agency from the obligation of their protection, permitting regular construction and urban development activities in their vicinity.

Currently overseeing 3,693 monuments, the ASI anticipates a reduction to 3,675 following the completion of the delisting process in the upcoming weeks.

A recent official gazette notification dated March 8, invokes Section 35 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act) to commence the delisting procedure, asserting that these monuments ‘have ceased to be of national importance.’

The notification calls for feedback or recommendations from the public within a two-month period, as outlined in the AMASR Act. 

Monuments deemed of national significance by the act are designated to be preserved and managed by the ASI as crucial historical and cultural landmarks, with construction activities forbidden in their proximity.

In the past year, the Ministry of Culture disclosed to Parliament that 50 out of India's 3,693 centrally protected monuments were unaccounted for. 

This disclosure was part of a report presented to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture, titled 'Issues relating to Untraceable Monuments and Protection of Monuments in India.' 

The missing monuments included 11 in Uttar Pradesh, two each in Delhi and Haryana, along with others in Assam, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. 

According to the ASI, 14 of these missing monuments were lost due to rapid urbanisation, 12 were submerged due to reservoirs or dams, while 24 remain untraceable. 

The 18 monuments designated for delisting are selected from this latter category of untraceable monuments.

This action comes in the wake of the Comptroller and Auditor General's 2013 announcement that 92 monuments were deemed ‘missing’ following an extensive physical verification process.

Of these, 42 were later located, leaving 50 still untraceable, attributed to factors such as urbanisation and inundation by reservoirs.

The decision to remove these 18 monuments from the roster follows a recommendation from the parliamentary panel to organise and classify ASI-protected sites according to their national importance, distinctive architectural significance, and heritage content.

This reflects continuous endeavours to enhance the efficiency of managing and safeguarding India's diverse cultural heritage.