Last updated: January 23rd, 2020 4:22 AM

NOAPS Single Window System

No Objection Certificate (NOC) Online Application Processing System (NOAPS) was initiated by the Ministry of Culture for the National Monuments Authority (NMA). The NOAPS was set up to ease the clearance process for construction-related work within the limit of the Government protected monuments. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010 has been a tool in setting up of the NMA. This article provides the guidelines to apply for the NOC.

AMASR Act

The AMASR Act 2010 was laid by the Government to prevent the intrusion of the construction or repair in limits allotted for the monuments or sites.

• The act states that no permission will be granted for construction in the prohibited area of 100 meters from all the direction of the centrally protected monuments and sites.
• The repairs and renovation of the existing buildings in the prohibited area are permitted, but the reconstruction of the existing building is not permitted.
• The Act highlights that the NMA would be the competent authority to issue the recommendation for any repair or renovation in the property located in the prohibited area.

Responsibility of NMA

The National Monument Authority acts as a competent authority set by the Central Government after consultation from the State Government. The NMA is set up with certain responsibilities bestowed on it.

• To protect and preserve the monuments and sites by managing the regulated and prohibited areas that come under the centrally protected monuments.
•  To grant permission and issue NOC for the applicants for construction-related work like repair or renovation in the prohibited and regulated area.
• Consider and provide NOC for the construction of sites between 100 to 300 meters of the centrally protected monuments.

Applicable States

The NOAPS facility is extended to 6 states and 517 local bodies. The monuments in the state should have a Color Coded Zonal Map of ISRO to apply for NOC online, for the construction near the monument.  The following are the 6 states,

• Madhya Pradesh
• Haryana
• Andhra Pradesh
• Punjab
• Telangana
• Jharkhand

Other Specific Criteria

For large-scale development projects involved with construction by state governments, central governments, or private entities like Dams, Industries, Airports or any expansion programs, the respective authorities should get clearance from the Archaeological departments.

Delhi

In Delhi, the restriction on heights of the building as mentioned below: Residential buildings can be built upto 15-meter with 3 meters of tower or rooftop structures. The Commercial/Institutional does not have any restriction but should have clearance from AAI, Delhi Fire Service and other statutory bodies (Restriction mentioned in MPD 2021)

Mumbai

In Mumbai, any buildings cannot exceed the 75-meter range.

Procedure for Obtaining NOC

Any individual, firm or government organisations to apply for NOC and to get clearance for their construction or reconstruction sites from the National Monuments Authority (NMA) should do the following Step 1: The applicant should fill in the Form-1 from the website of the NMA. The link for applying in the Form-1: http://nmanoc.nic.in/ Step 2: The submitted Form-1 will be inspected or verified by the Competent Authority of the state. Step 3: After verifying the application, the Competent Authority completes the Form-2. Step 4: After the Competent Authority's submission of Form-2 in their own level, the application will be sent to the NMA. Step 5: The decision made by the NMA will be mentioned in the applicant portal or made available to the Competent Authority within 15-30 days.

Required Documents

The following are the required documents for the NOC process:

• A covering letter from the Competent Authority.
• Form-1 submitted by the applicant. Five sets of the copy of Form-1.
• Ownership documents attested by any authorised Government officer.
• Form-2 submitted by the Competent Authority after Form-1 verification.
• Inspection Report by the concerned field officer. This is to be submitted within 48 hours of conducting the inspection.
• Google map of the construction work related site of the applicant and the monument.
• A report from a licensed architect or structural engineer should be submitted in case of repairing or renovating the construction. The report should be on the structural stability of the construction.
• The Site Plan for the construction site of the applicant.
• Elevation, Section and Floor details or plan of the site to be constructed.
• A self-declaration document of the applicant.
• If the applicant is from a firm or organisation, then the signature of the head of the firm or the organisation should be present in the application.
• Photos of the monuments, the proposed site and the surrounding of the proposed site.
• The property documents of the site proposed by the applicant.
• A show-cause notice copy with the reply of the applicant. This is required if the applicant has started or completed the construction in the site.
• A report on the Heritage Impact Assessment.