The Central Government has told the
Supreme Court that it is in the process of declaring Ram Setu as a national heritage monument and is considering it. While hearing the petition of
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, the court directed the petitioner that he can give additional evidence related to this to the ministry.
Rama Setu is a chain of limestone cays between Pamban Island off the southeast coast of
Tamil Nadu and Mannar Island off the northwest coast of Sri Lanka. It is also called Adam's bridge.
BJP leader Ne Swamy has said that he has won the first round of litigation, under which the central government accepted the existence of Ram Setu. He said that the
Union Minister concerned had called a meeting in 2017 to consider their demand but nothing happened afterwards. The
BJP leader had earlier raised the issue of declaring Ram Sethu as a national monument in his PIL against the controversial Sethusamudram waterway project during the first term of the UPA government.
The matter reached the apex court, which in 2007 halted the work for the project on Ram Sethu. The Center had then said that it considered the "socio-economic damage" of the project and wanted to find another route for the shipping route without damaging the Ram Setu. The court then directed the government to file a fresh affidavit.