Bill for infrastructure at protected monuments

The Union Cabinet has approved an amendment bill which seeks to allow the Centre to undertake infrastructure development projects within the prohibited areas of ancient monuments and archaeological sites.

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017, got the Cabinet’s approval at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday.

The amendment bill will be introduced in Parliament during the Monsoon Session for its passage. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains Act, 1958, as amended in 2010, prohibits grant of any permission for new construction within the prohibited area of a centrally protected monument and archeological site.

“Prohibition of new construction within prohibited area is adversely impacting various public works and developmental projects of the central government. The amendment will pave way for certain constructions limited strictly to public works and projects essential to public within the prohibited area and benefit the public at large,” the government said in a statement after the Cabinet’s meeting. The bill stipulates for insertion of a new definition of “public works” in Section 2 of the Act.