Public and private Projects halted near 100 monuments in Gujarat

Government has halted many private constructions near the Mahatama Gandhi’s birth place, Kirti Mandir in Porbandar and several others places in state because of The Ancient Monuments And Archeological Sites and Remains(Amendment and Validation), Act 2010 enacted by the Government of India in March 2010. The central government, private and state government’s various construction projects have been halted nearby more than 100 national monuments out of 214 national monuments of Gujarat.

As the Government of India is yet to form the rules & regulations of the act no proposal from the state have been considered for the approval or rejection. As per this act National Monument Authority has been empowered to decide the approval or rejection of proposal of any kind of construction in 100 to 300 meters area of the prohibited or regulated monuments.

The State Archeology department has been asked by the government of India to receive proposal from the private and government bodies for construction permission near the national monuments of the state instead of Archeological Survey of India(ASI), Vadodara office.

State Government’s many tourism and public utility projects have also been halted including BRTS(Bus Rapid Transit System) in Ahmedabad due to this new act.

A senior government official told that, “due to government of India’s unclear stand many people who have property near the notified areas are facing several problems. The State has no role except to follow the government of India’s directions. Its not clear when the rules will be cleared.”

Some of important monuments where work has been stopped due to new Act

Name of Monument
Birth Place, House of Mahatma
Jami Masjid, Bharuch
Step-well Borsad, Dist.Anand
Temple of Galteshwar, Sarnal, Dist.Kheda
Group of Temples(including Dwarkadhis and Rukmani) with its outer compound wall, S.No.1607, 1608 & 1609, Dwarka, Dist.Jamnagar
Fort wall, Nani Daman (U.T.)
Saint Paul’s Church, Diu(U.T.)
Old Dutch & Armenian Tombs & Cemeteries, Surat
Frescoes on the walls of Bhau Tambekars wada, Vadodara
Arjun Bari Gate, Vadnagar
Small Stone Mosque, Paldi, Ahmedabad
Saiyed Usman’s Mosque & Tomb, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad
Raipur Gate, Ahmedabad