The Ministry of Tourism in co-ordination with Ministry of Culture has launched the Swachh Paryatan mobile app. The objective is to increase citizens’ participation in the protection and upkeep of heritage monuments in India. The app, which is available on Android Phones, will also be soon available on Apple and Microsoft as well. It shall be monitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry of Tourism.

Initially, 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments such as Red Fort, Taj Mahal, Elephanta Caves, Qutub Minar Complex, among others, have been identified for inclusion in the app, but it would be scaled up to include more monuments as the campaign expands.

A citizen can upload a photograph of garbage at the monument via the app which then sends an SMS to the ASI Nodal Officer concerned with the monument upon receipt of which the Nodal Officer gets the garbage cleared/removed. The Nodal Officer thereafter sends confirmation about the redressal of the complaint through an SMS to the complainant.

As per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, if someone destroys, removes, injures, alters, defaces, imperils or misuses a protected monument, he/she shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three months, or with a fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.