18 Monuments Delisted from Protected Sites List

The Central Government has delisted 18 monuments from the list of centrally protected sites since 2021. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) now oversees and maintains 3,688 centrally protected monuments and sites across India after these delistings.

Centrally Protected Monuments

Centrally protected monuments are sites declared of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958. The ASI functions under the Ministry of Culture and is responsible for the conservation, protection, and maintenance of such monuments and archaeological sites.

Delisting Under AMASR Act, 1958

Section 35 of the AMASR Act, 1958 provides the legal basis for delisting monuments that cease to be of national importance. A gazette notification dated 8 March 2024 initiated the delisting process for 18 monuments on this ground. Once delisted, the ASI’s statutory responsibility for conservation and maintenance of the site ends.

Examples of Delisted Sites

The delisted list includes the Nicholson Statue in Delhi, Kos Minar No. 13 in Gurugram, and Kos Minar in Shahabad, Haryana. Other named sites include Bara Khamba Cemetery in Delhi, Gunner Burkill’s tomb in Jhansi, Telia Nala Buddhist ruins in Varanasi, and a banyan grove of great antiquity in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh.

Important Facts for Exams

• The AMASR Act, 1958 governs ancient monuments and archaeological sites of national importance in India.
• The Archaeological Survey of India functions under the Ministry of Culture.
• Section 35 of the AMASR Act, 1958 deals with the delisting of monuments that cease to be of national importance.
• The ASI currently maintains 3,688 centrally protected monuments and sites after the delisting of 18 monuments.

Related Heritage and Repatriation Data

The Ministry of Culture has also stated that India has retrieved 662 historical artefacts from foreign countries up to June 2026. Of these, 589 artefacts were retrieved from the United States.