Parliamentary panel suggests more allocation, dedicated conservation fund for monuments

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) A more robust allocation for conservation of protected monuments, fast-track courts for heritage violations and a metaverse initiative for creating immersive digital experiences of inaccessible or vulnerable sites are among a slew of recommendations by a parliamentary panel.

The committee has also recommended creating a "dedicated Heritage Conservation Fund with a corpus of Rs 500 crore over five years", with contributions from tourism revenue, CSR initiatives, and matching government grants through the National Culture Fund framework.

"This fund would specifically address emergency conservation needs and climate vulnerability mitigation measures at protected monuments," the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture said in a report.

The panel's report on 'Demands for Grants (2025-26) of Ministry of Culture' was presented in Parliament on Tuesday.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the purview of the Ministry of Culture, manages 3,698 centrally protected monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, encompassing temples, forts, tombs, and prehistoric sites.

In its report, the panel has also suggested that "delisting protocols require reform".

"An independent panel should reassess criteria to ensure delisting occurs only after rigorous documentation and public consultation, paired with a relic repatriation policy for displaced artifacts.

"By combining technology, legal rigour, climate adaptation, and community participation, India can balance heritage conservation with developmental pressures, safeguarding its cultural legacy for future generations. These steps would align with ASI's mandate while addressing systemic gaps in monument management," the panel said.

Despite recent efforts, including a 70 per cent budget increase to Rs 443.53 crore in 2023-24 and the delisting of 18 untraceable monuments like Delhi's Barakhamba Cemetery and Haryana's Kos Minar No. 13, challenges such as "encroachment, climate threats, and resource gaps persist", it said.

To address these issues, the parliamentary committee has recommended a "multi-pronged strategy".

"First, a GIS-based digital inventory with real-time monitoring and biennial audits should be prioritised to enhance accountability and prevent monuments from disappearing due to urbanisation. Strengthening legal frameworks, including stricter penalties under the AMASR Act and fast-track courts for heritage violations, would streamline enforcement against encroachments," the report said.

The committee has recommended a "more robust allocation" for the conservation, restoration, and maintenance of protected monuments, especially the World Heritage Sites.

"Considering the increasing pressure on ASI's existing resources, the allocation needs to be increased to ensure timely conservation and meet global standards for preservation," it said.

Climate resilience measures, such as expanding automated weather stations (AWS) and pollution monitoring labs to high-risk sites like Konark Sun Temple, must be "scaled" to mitigate environmental damage, the panel said.

Concurrently, integrating AI-driven predictive maintenance, 3D mapping, and drone surveillance -- as seen in Tamil Nadu's excavation projects and Mehrauli's recent Supreme Court-mandated survey -- can "revolutionise preservation through early damage detection", it said.

Community engagement is equally critical, and initiatives like a tax-incentivised 'Adopt a Monument' programme and training locals as "heritage stewards" would foster grassroots ownership, it added.

The panel has suggested developing a phased implementation of 'digital twin' technology for all World Heritage Sites, and at least 100 nationally significant monuments by 2028. This would involve creating "precise digital replica" to monitor structural changes, simulate conservation interventions, and enhance visitor experience through augmented reality applications.

It has also recommended launching a 'Metaverse Heritage Initiative' that creates "immersive digital experiences of inaccessible or vulnerable monument areas, allowing for virtual tourism while reducing physical impact on fragile structures". This initiative should prioritise monuments facing access restrictions due to conservation concerns.

The panel also urged the government to implement block chain technology for monument documentation and conservation history, creating an "immutable record of interventions and condition assessments" that ensures accountability and preservation of institutional knowledge across administrative transitions.

It recommended establishing a centralised "Heritage Monitoring System" using remote sensing and IoT (Internet of Things) devices to provide real-time data on environmental conditions, structural stability, and visitor impact at critical monuments. This would enable predictive maintenance and early intervention, potentially reducing long-term conservation costs by 30-35 per cent, the panel said.

For museum projects, it has suggested implementing a "modular development approach", enabling phased completion and partial operationalisation while resolving issues with remaining components. PTI KND KVK KVK

Source: PTI