National Monuments Authority

What National Monuments Authority does

National Monuments Authority (NMA) is a statutory body of the Government of India, operating under the Ministry of Culture since its establishment in 2011 under the AMASR Act, 1958 (as amended in 2010). NMA's mandate is to regulate construction activities within prohibited and regulated areas of India's 3,691 centrally protected monuments by issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs), classifying monuments, and framing monument-specific heritage bye-laws. It serves citizens, builders, and developers seeking construction permits near protected monuments, and works through 37 designated Competent Authorities across all Indian states and Union Territories.

NMA's core technology platform comprises the NOAPS Portal (NOC Online Application and Processing System) for submission and processing of NOC applications, and the SMARAC App developed by ISRO for satellite-based measurement of distances between construction sites and monuments. The portal is integrated with 7 state governments and 4 Urban Local Bodies (MCD, NDMC, DDA, MCGM), with integration to 8 additional states in progress. A Monuments Site Map powered by Geospatial Delhi Limited provides geospatial visualization of protected zones. NMA has processed 11,976 NOC applications, reduced average processing time from 3 months to 30 days, and supported India's improvement from 181st to 52nd in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business construction permits indicator in 2018.

NMA is not a commercially operating entity and does not charge fees for its services. It is funded through the Government of India budget, with a lean staff of 18 personnel based at its headquarters at 24 Tilak Marg, New Delhi. It operates under a Chairman (Ms. Vandana Jain), Member Secretary (Sh. Bhaskar Verma), and Director (Col. Savyasachi Marwaha), supplemented by consultants including conservation architects, system analysts, legal staff, and Hindi translators. Mandatory online NOC submission through NOAPS takes effect on 1 July 2025, which will consolidate all construction permitting near protected monuments into NMA's digital channel.

Name

National Monuments Authority

Legal name

National Monuments Authority

Website

https://nma.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National Monuments Authority is a Government of India statutory body under the Ministry of Culture that regulates construction near India's centrally protected monuments by issuing No Objection Certificates and framing heritage bye-laws, serving citizens, builders, and developers through an online portal and state Competent Authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Conservation Regulatory Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Permitting & Impact Assessment (EIA/NEPA) (BPAIAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

ADU Permitting, Zoning & Code Compliance (HSAPAMAG), Facility Siting, Permitting & Land-Use Regulatory Compliance (Multi-media Permitting, Zoning/Entitlements Support) (EUAHABAH)

Keywords

• Heritage monument regulation
• Construction NOC services
• Archaeological site protection
• Heritage bye-laws
• Monument classification services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The National Monuments Authority processes No Objection Certificate (NOC) applications for construction activities in prohibited and regulated areas of centrally protected monuments under the AMASR Act, 1958. It operates the NOAPS online portal and SMARAC mobile app for transparent, satellite-based distance measurement, develops monument-specific Heritage Bye-Laws, and classifies centrally protected monuments in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India. All services are provided free of cost to citizens through state Competent Authorities and an integrated online platform.

Product overview

National Monuments Authority operates as a statutory body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, established under the AMASR Act 2010. The authority provides a unified platform consisting of the NOAPS Portal for online NOC applications, the SMARAC App utilizing ISRO satellite data for monument distance measurement, and Heritage Bye-Laws services. These offerings work together to regulate construction activities near protected monuments, process NOC applications through state Competent Authorities, and maintain heritage conservation standards across India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NOAPS Portal (NOC Online Application and Processing System) Online portal for submission and processing of No Objection Certificate applications for construction activities in prohibited or regulated areas of protected monuments under the AMASR Act, 1958. Citizens and Competent Authorities submit and track NOC applications through this portal, which is integrated with 7 state governments and 4 Urban Local Bodies.
• SMARAC App Mobile application developed by ISRO using satellite imagery to measure the distance between construction sites and protected monuments. Applicants self-submit property location and distance from monuments, eliminating human intervention in distance measurement and ensuring transparency.
• NOC Application Services Statutory service for processing No Objection Certificates for construction activities within regulated or prohibited areas of centrally protected monuments under the AMASR Act, 1958. Applications are handled through 37 designated Competent Authorities across states and Union Territories, then forwarded to NMA for recommendation. Provided free of cost.
• Heritage Bye-Laws Services Development and implementation of heritage bye-laws for centrally protected monuments and their regulated areas. Includes drafting, approval, and parliamentary laying processes. 5 heritage bye-laws covering 31 monuments have been laid in Parliament, with an additional 88 bye-laws covering 101 monuments under process.
• Monuments Site Map Geospatial mapping tool showing locations of centrally protected monuments and their regulated/prohibited zones across India, powered by Geospatial Delhi Limited. Used by citizens and authorities to identify monument proximity and determine NOC requirements for construction projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• NOC processing time reduced from average 3 months to 30 days through the online NOAPS portal
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)coreTechnology or IntegrationISRO developed the SMARAC App used by NMA for measuring the distance between construction sites and monuments. This application enables applicants to self-submit property location and distance measurements from monuments, eliminating human intervention and ensuring transparency.
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMA works in consultation with ASI for classification and upgradation of centrally protected monuments. The 5 Regional Directors of ASI play a key role in preparing draft heritage bye-laws for monuments within their respective regional jurisdictions.
• Council of ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Council of Architecture has issued advisories to architects regarding compliance with AMASR Act requirements for construction near protected monuments.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• English Heritage: Manages over 400 historic sites in England including monuments. Comparable in mandate of preserving nationally significant heritage sites and advising on construction/development near protected assets.
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): ASI is NMA's closest domestic counterpart and operational partner — it manages the actual physical conservation of centrally protected monuments while NMA regulates surrounding construction. Both fall under the Ministry of Culture and collaborate on classification and heritage bye-laws.
• Historic England: The UK government's statutory advisor on heritage and conservation, analogous to NMA in regulating construction near protected sites and listing buildings. Shares similar mandate structure of issuing permissions for works affecting protected heritage assets.

Regional players

• National Heritage Board (Singapore): Singapore's statutory board overseeing heritage conservation and national monuments, including regulation of development near conserved buildings. Comparable mandate at city-state scale with similar permitting frameworks.
• Parks Canada: Canadian federal agency managing national historic sites and parks with permitting authority for works affecting protected heritage places. Operates with a similar federal-government heritage-protection mandate outside India.

Broad incumbents

• UNESCO World Heritage Centre: The international body that designates and oversees UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Indian monuments. Comparable in that it sets global standards for heritage conservation that NMA's domestic framework aligns with and references.
• National Park Service (USA): U.S. federal agency managing national parks and monuments, including permitting around protected federal lands. Comparable as a government body regulating land use adjacent to nationally protected heritage/natural sites.
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India: NMA's parent ministry, which administers a much broader portfolio of cultural institutions, schemes, and policies. Comparable as the larger governmental body overseeing heritage and culture in India.

Others

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: U.S. private non-profit advocating for preservation of historic places. Comparable as a heritage-advocacy ecosystem player, though non-governmental; provides cultural context and policy expertise adjacent to NMA's regulatory role.
• Geospatial Delhi Limited (GSDL): Technology partner that powers NMA's Monuments Site Map geospatial tool. Comparable as a geospatial/data infrastructure provider enabling NMA's digital permitting workflow, though not a regulatory peer itself.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-monuments-authority

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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