Cultural Heritage and Conservation — Amendments

Amendment	Year	Description	Impact
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010	2010	This amendment significantly strengthened the AMASR Act, 1958, by introducing the concepts of 'prohibited area' and 'regulated area' around protected monuments. It aimed to curb rampant unauthorized construction and encroachment.	It declared a 100-meter radius around protected monuments as a 'prohibited area' where no construction, including reconstruction, is allowed. A further 200-meter radius beyond the prohibited area was designated as a 'regulated area,' requiring permission from the newly established National Monuments Authority (NMA) for any construction. This provided a stronger legal framework for safeguarding heritage from urban pressures.