Hundreds of Delhi monuments lost to encroachers: Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over losing hundreds of monuments to encroachers in the national capital, a Parliamentary Panel today raised apprehensions that areas adjoining Qutub Minar may also face the same fate.

In its report tabled in Lok Sabha, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture observed that nobody knows the exact number of monuments under the DDA and State Archaeological Department and how many are unprotected as some are on private own lands.

"This gives a very bleak picture about the whole thing. The Committee would like to have monument-wise position in respect of their protection either with ASI, DDA, state governments or unprotected.

"In this way, Delhi has already lost hundreds of old monuments to the encroachers and we are perhaps allowing same thing to happen in areas around Qutub Minar as well," the report said.

The Committee sought better co-ordination between the ASI and concerned state agencies in protecting monuments.

On protection of Lal Mahal, the committee felt that concerned authorities failed to act in time due to "reasons better known to them" and area around Lal Mahal was allowed to be encroached in such as manner that it has become next impossible to even take that under ASI protection.

"It would entail massive demolition of houses and buildings built illegally there. The Committee would like to know the stand of the Delhi government in this regard," the report said.