The Culture Ministry has visualized a plan to digitally map the boundaries of centrally-protected monuments. The aim is greater security and checking encroachment through improved monitoring of these 3,600 sites. For this, the ministry is banking on cutting-edge technology offered by Google.

Google could help the government in doing this job, said Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy. He informed that talks are going on between the two. In India, there are a total of 3,693 heritage sites protected under the Archaeological Survey of India. They all fall within the purview of the ministry.

On Friday, at a glittering event, a project named ‘India ki Udaan’ was unveiled at the Sunder Nursery in New Delhi. It was held to mark the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The project executed by Google Arts and Culture celebrates India’s achievements. It is themed on the unwavering and undying spirit of the country over these past 75 years.

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During the event, Reddy said, Google could assist the ministry in digital mapping the boundaries of its over 3,600 centrally-protected monuments. It will not only help in better monitoring of sites but also check any encroachment.

The ministry has urged the Google team to be a partner in government’s transformative journey, as also boost India’s tourism destinations, Reddy said.

The Union Culture Minister said, a lot of manpower is needed in monitoring the sites, and through technology, the government can efficiently map the sites for security purposes.

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Reddy said what the ministry has envisioned is that through cutting-edge technology, these sites can be monitored from the headquarters in New Delhi.

“So, we can monitor every monument, and what is going on there, sitting in Delhi. That is what we want to do,” the minister said and stressed that things are moving forward with Google, and the company will meet the government soon.