India, Aug. 13 -- Bara Khamba Cemetery in Delhi and a banyan grove of "great antiquity" containing traces of ancient buildings are among the 18 sites which have been delisted by the Centre from the list of protected monuments since 2021, according to data shared by the government in Parliament on Thursday.

Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in his written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha.

He was asked the number of centrally protected monuments de-notified under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, since 2021.

"The central government has delisted 18 monuments from the list of protected monuments since 2021 as they were found to have ceased to be of national importan...