📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Smuconlaw
National
Construction in Buffer Zones of Protected Monuments Faces Regulatory Setback
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 23 Aug 2026, 01:33 PM
👁 7
Experts warn that lax regulation of construction activities in the buffer zones of centrally protected monuments is putting heritage sites at risk.
The protective buffer zones surrounding monuments under the central government's care are reportedly experiencing a weakening of construction regulations. Authorities responsible for heritage preservation have been urged to tighten oversight as new building projects encroach on these sensitive areas.
Heritage experts say that unchecked construction can damage the structural integrity and visual ambience of historic sites, undermining both cultural value and tourism potential. The lack of clear enforcement mechanisms is seen as a direct threat to the long‑term safeguarding of India’s architectural legacy.
Stakeholders, including archaeologists and conservation NGOs, are calling for immediate review of existing guidelines and stricter penalties for violations. They argue that robust regulation is essential to prevent irreversible harm to monuments that are part of the nation’s shared history.
Heritage experts say that unchecked construction can damage the structural integrity and visual ambience of historic sites, undermining both cultural value and tourism potential. The lack of clear enforcement mechanisms is seen as a direct threat to the long‑term safeguarding of India’s architectural legacy.
Stakeholders, including archaeologists and conservation NGOs, are calling for immediate review of existing guidelines and stricter penalties for violations. They argue that robust regulation is essential to prevent irreversible harm to monuments that are part of the nation’s shared history.