ASI could break its own laws by giving Naya Qila land for golf course

The AMASR Act prohibits construction within 100 m and mandates regulation of constructions within a radius of 101-300 m of the monument.
The remains of the Bagh-e-Qutub Shahi, on the 15 acres in Naya Qila, that was excavated during the tenure of the previous ASI head
The remains of the Bagh-e-Qutub Shahi, on the 15 acres in Naya Qila, that was excavated during the tenure of the previous ASI head

HYDERABAD:  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) may well violate its own Ancient Monuments Act (AMASR) by giving the State government the 15 acres of land at Naya Qila to set up an “international-level” golf course. This was revealed by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which inspected the site on Monday and found that it falls under the 300 m protected regulation perimeter of the Golconda Fort. INTACH Hyderabad convenor Anuradha Reddy took up the inspection based on TNIE’s reports.

The AMASR Act prohibits construction within 100 m and mandates regulation of constructions within a radius of 101-300 m of the monument. Development in that area requires an NoC from a competent authority.

ASI Hyderabad unsure about the exact boundary of Golconda Fort

The conundrum lies in the fact that even the ASI-Hyderabad is not clear about the exact extent of the boundary of the Golconda Fort. The AMASR Act of 1959 mentions that the “Golconda Fort and ruins” have to be protected, but it does not specify what exactly those ruins are.The ASI has been repeatedly raising the issue with the State’s Revenue department, to not just assess the boundary of the Golconda Fort, but also identify the encroachments in the area. 

At a recent talk, ASI’s superintending archaeologist MK Chauley had said: “We had asked the Telangana State government for a revenue map of the fort and the area around it to be able to take legal precedence about the increasing encroachment around it. That request too has been met with stoic silence.”

After the inspection, Reddy said, “Telangana has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, which is not found in other parts of the country. Simple calculation shows that Golconda and Charminar generate a huge amount of revenue. In its present form, this Naya Qila area can be a magnet for tourism.” Reddy cited the example of Angkor Vat in Cambodia, and the Jerusalem Old Town, spaces similar to Naya Qila that generate a huge revenue through tourism.

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