NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 22, 2003: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Thursday issued a notification to declare the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place a protected monument. Some other ancient temples in Delhi and other states may also be extended ASI’s protection as part of a campaign launched by Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan to improve conditions in and around important religious shrines and pilgrimage spots. In a letter to the ASI director-general, Jagmohan said: “The Hanuman temple in New Delhi is an ancient monument which is visited by hundreds of people daily. Like the Kalkaji Temple, its antiquity is being ruined and its sanctity undermined. After visiting the site, I have decided that, as in the case of Kalkaji Temple complex, this temple should also be protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958,” he wrote. After allowing two months for the public to register objections to the move, the archaeological body will issue a final notification.
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