Delhi: Special task force to deal with illegal construction near monuments

The special task force (STF) constituted by the Delhi government to coordinate between different agencies for the removal of unauthorised construction and encroachments will also deal with such activity near centrally protected monuments.

The special task force (STF) constituted by the Delhi government to coordinate between different agencies for the removal of unauthorised construction and encroachments will also deal with such activity near centrally protected monuments.

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“Matters related to encroachment/unauthorised constructions in the prohibited area (0-100 metres) and regulated area (101-300 metres) of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments will now be taken up by the task force,” the high-level committee for the “proper upkeep and maintenance of protected monuments in Delhi” decided on Monday in a meeting.

Chandresh Kumari Katoch, culture minister, is the chairperson and secretaries of culture, tourism and urban development ministries are members of this committee.

After a presentation about the state of monuments in Delhi by Pravin Srivastava, director general of ASI, the committee was told that the archaeological survey had issued more than 1,500 notices against unauthorised construction in prohibited/regulated areas since an amendment in its Act in March 2010.

The STF taking up such issues would help take care of the areas around protected monuments, it was decided.

The committee also decided to evolve a strategy to provide protection to all heritage structures and monuments that are not covered by the ASI. Two sub-committees were also formed to deal with policy matters and to look after monument-specific causes.