New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS): In an attempt to streamline approval procedure for construction related activities in the vicinity of protected monuments, union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on Tuesday rolled out an online portal to get a 'no objection certificate' (NOC).

"It (portal) will greatly add to the convenience of the people since they no longer need to run to local offices to get NOC for their property which is nearby monuments," Sharma said here at the launch function.

Applicants can now apply for NOC online and they will be provided a unique registration id with which they can check the status of their applications from time to time.

The online system, an initiative of the National Monument Authority, will automatically inform the applicant about the permissible height and other restrictions regarding the proposed construction activity.

The minister said the initiative would also help solve the problem of encroachments around the historic monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The mobile app would be launched shortly which would provide even greater convenience, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Culture Secretary N.K. Sinha said the unique initiative would reduce the dependency of the people on administration. "This is a people's portal and its success will depend on the people's participation," he added.

The portal -- NOC online application portal and processing system (NOAPS) -- has utilized the technology and expertise of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) which are in the process of mapping all 3,886 ASI protected monuments.

The portal, which has been designed by National Informatics Centre (NIC), is available on www.nmanoc.nic.in.