The Delhi Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has approved a proposal to transfer the conservation and upkeep of 75 state-protected monuments to non-government entities, including the iconic Haveli of Mirza Ghalib in Ballimaran, Chandni Chowk. The decision, announced on Tuesday, 30 June, allows trusts, NGOs, foundations, and institutions to formally adopt these heritage sites from the Archaeology Department of the Delhi government.

Key Monuments on the List

The 75 monuments span several historically significant locations across the capital. Among the most prominent are Turkman Gate on Asaf Ali Road, the Baradari of Qudsia Garden, and the Mutiny Memorial on the Northern Ridge near Hindu Rao Hospital. Nearly a dozen of the listed sites are situated close to the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and along the Northern and Southern Ridges.

The Lodi Garden cluster includes a Turret, a nameless Mosque, a Baoli, and the four walls of an enclosed garden with its entrance. Several monuments in Badarpur village also feature — the Northern Gateway, Central Gateway, and Southern Gateway and enclosure remains of Badarpur Saria.

Spread Across Delhi's Neighbourhoods

The list extends to less-visited but historically layered sites. Gumti of Sheikh Ali in Defence Colony, Gol Gumbad near the Lodhi Road Flyover, and Munda Gumbad inside Deer Park near Hauz Khas Tank are all included. So are the Bara Lao ka Gumbad, a mosque, baoli, and water channel in DDA Park, Vasant Vihar near Priya Cinema, and the Mosque of Darwesh Shah near Siri Auditorium, Khel Gaon.

Other sites earmarked for adoption include Malcha Mahal on S.P. Mukherjee Marg, the Imambara on Qutub Road, the Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal on the Southern Ridge near Karol Bagh, the Gateway of Mahaldar Khan Garden at Rana Pratap Bagh near Gur Ki Mandi, and a Baoli in Sector 12, Dwarka.

What the Proposal Envisages

Under the approved framework, adopting entities — whether trusts, NGOs, or institutions — will be responsible for conservation and maintenance of the assigned monuments. The sites remain under the formal purview of the Archaeology Department of the Delhi government; the proposal transfers upkeep responsibility, not ownership. Officials did not specify, in the available statement, the tenure of adoption agreements or the financial obligations of adopting bodies.

Why This Matters

Delhi's state-protected heritage inventory has long suffered from chronic under-maintenance, with many lesser-known monuments deteriorating due to resource constraints within the Archaeology Department. This move mirrors similar public-private partnership models adopted for centrally protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)'s 'Adopt a Heritage' scheme, which has faced mixed outcomes. Notably, the Haveli of Mirza Ghalib — where the celebrated Urdu poet lived and wrote — holds particular cultural resonance and has historically attracted calls for better upkeep from literary and heritage circles. Whether the NGO-led model delivers sustained conservation or risks uneven stewardship across 75 diverse sites will be closely watched.