New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) There are 414 protected monuments and areas under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which are “having encroachments”, the government informed the Parliament on Thursday.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha, also shared a list of monuments facing “chemical weathering” due to air pollution. These include the Red Fort and Qila-e-Kuhna Mosque in Delhi, Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan and Charminar in Hyderabad.
He was asked the number of centrally protected monuments “currently under illegal encroachment”.
“There are 414 protected monuments and areas under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) having encroachments,” the Union
minister said without elaborating.
In his response, he also shared a state-wise list of ASI sites where monuments and sites face encroachment issues.
He was also asked about the budgetary allocations made for “scientific treatment and consolidation” of monuments facing chemical weathering due to air pollution during 2025-26.
“An amount of Rs 2.17 crore was allocated/expenditure incurred for ‘Scientific Treatment and Consolidation’ of protected monuments facing chemical weathering due to air pollution during 2025-26,” Shekhawat said.
The protected monuments are regularly inspected, and based on the requirement, scientific treatment for eliminating the effects of air pollution and other weather phenomena is carried out, he said.
The ASI has a total of 3,686 sites across the country. PTI KND NB NB
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