Govt steps in to save illegal structures

The government has decided to bring an ordinance to regularise illegal or disputed structures and constructions around monuments to clear legal hurdles in the way of several infrastructure projects linked to the Commonwealth Games here in October.

The 'Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment & Validation) Ordinance, 2010' was cleared by the Union Cabinet and is being sent to President Pratibha Patil

for approval, a government official said.

The government's move comes in the wake of the Delhi High Court declaring 171 permissions granted by Archaeological Survey of India "invalid" and directed the government and the ASI to initiate steps to remove the violations.

The ASI issued show-cause notices to civic agencies in connection with construction activities at and around 92 protected structures like Red Fort, Hauz Khas, Humayun's Tomb and Siri Fort.

Among those affected by the decision were the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Commonwealth Games Committee over structures constructed within prohibited areas of centrally protected monuments.

The Delhi High Court had set January 29 as the deadline for the government to respond to a decision relating to protection of monuments.