Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat provided a written reply in Rajya Sabha regarding the protection of monuments under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. The government disclosed that out of 3,688 ancient monuments and archaeological sites declared of national importance, 414 monuments and sites have reported encroachments across India.
The state-wise breakdown shows Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of encroached monuments at 78, followed by Tamil Nadu with 72, Karnataka with 60, Maharashtra with 49, Rajasthan with 30, West Bengal with 15, and NCT Delhi (UT) with 14. Other states with significant encroachments include Assam (12), Bihar (13), Chhattisgarh (12), Jammu & Kashmir (UT) (12), and Odisha (13). Several states have minimal encroachments, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Daman & Diu (UT), Goa, Sikkim, and Tripura with 1 each.
The government clarified that protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 does not require mandatory acquisition or ownership of the land where monuments are situated. The Archaeological Survey of India's primary objective is conservation and maintenance in accordance with the AMASR Act, 1958 and Rules, 1959. Where encroachments or unauthorized activities are identified, appropriate action is taken under the relevant provisions of the Act.
To address boundary issues, the ASI conducts joint surveys with local revenue officials to safeguard protected boundaries. The ASI has completed survey, geo-referencing, and digitization of protected monument boundaries, which have been uploaded to the Bhuvan Portal. Integration of this data with state land records is being undertaken in coordination with respective state governments and revenue authorities.