Delhi govt to adopt 75 monuments, give them to trusts, NGOs for conservation
New Delhi, June 30
The Delhi Cabinet has passed a resolution that the Delhi government will adopt 75 of its monuments, the Chief Minister's Office said.
As part of the initiative, a scheme will also be launched to assign these monuments to trusts, NGOs, foundations and institutions for conservation and upkeep purposes.
Earlier, the Union Tourism Ministry also launched the "Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan" project which is a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India and State and Union Territory governments for developing tourism amenities at heritage and tourist sites across India.
According to the Delhi government, "Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan" project aimed to encourage companies from public sector, private sector, corporate citizens, NGOs, individuals and other stakeholders to become 'Monument Mitras' and take up the responsibility of developing and upgrading the basic and advanced tourist amenities at these sites as per their interest and viability in terms of a sustainable investment model under CSR. They would also look after the operation and maintenance of the same.
The Delhi government's Department of Archaeology, under this project, signed an MoU with M/s Bird Heritage Foundation to become Monument Mitra of two of its monuments, Gol Gumbad and Bara Lao ka Gumbad; and with M/s The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust (TAACHT) and M/s Museum and Arts Consultancy (MAC) to adopt one of its significant monuments, the Dara Shikoh Library Building.
In March 2026, the Centre brought in the 'Adopt A Heritage 2.0' program, exclusively for protected monuments of national importance, to create a framework for engagement with private and public sector companies and NGOs, trusts and societies to develop and provide a group of amenities at protected monuments to enhance visitors' experience and make them visitor-friendly, wherein the role of stakeholders or partnered entities is limited to the engagement in the non-conservational aspects
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also launched the 'Adopt-a-Monument' programme.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting approach. In Canada, we have similar partnerships with heritage conservation groups. The key is ensuring transparency in maintenance and preventing commercialization. Will the public still have free access to these monuments?
Sounds great on paper, but I'm skeptical. Remember what happened with Qutub Minor? Some "private adoption" led to ticket prices skyrocketing. Our monuments are not just tourist attractions - they're our identity. Hope the government keeps proper oversight. 🤔
As someone who volunteers with heritage preservation in the UK, this model works if implemented correctly. But 75 monuments is ambitious. The 'Monument Mitra' concept is nice - creates a sense of ownership. Wishing Delhi government success.
My only concern is - what about monuments that don't get adopted? Will they be neglected? And why only 75? Delhi has hundreds of lesser-known monuments that need equal attention. Good initiative but needs better coverage. 😅
Beautiful! The Gol Gumbad and Bara Lao ka Gumbad are hidden treasures in Lodi Garden area. So glad to see private players stepping up. But please ensure the conservation work follows ASI guidelines - we don't want theme parks at our heritage sites! 🌸
K Karthik V < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.