The period of 15 years is a penalty imposed on the owners for building the hotels without permission, U Thein Lwin, deputy director general of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library told The Myanmar Times.

Another condition is that the hoteliers have to donate K50,000 for every room in their hotels for the development of the Bagan ancient archaeological zone.

The archaeology department had in 2014 banned 42 hotel projects due to their locations within the ancient city and temple complex. Out of the 42, 25 were hotels that were almost 80 percent complete, while the other 17 properties had yet to be built.

“The 25 hotels in limbo can resume construction as soon as they receive the official letters from the archaeology department. Also, we are planning to allow [the construction of] another 17 suspended hotels if they are located away from archaeological zone,” U Win Myint Khaing, chair of the Hluttaw’s Religious, Social and Cultural Affairs Committee told The Myanmar Times.

“We can donate K50,000 per room if we can continue construction and operate the hotel. But we haven’t received approval from the archaeology department, so how we can we continue construction?” said one of the hoteliers involved.

Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko was reported as saying last week that the owners would have to vacate their properties in the archaeological zone after 15 years. The properties would then be turned into museums and libraries for the public.

“Some hotels have got permission for hotel implementation and some do not have, among the 25 suspended hotels. But these hotels are located in the archaeological zone so we agreed to allow them to operate for 15 years, after which they must moved out of the archaeological zone,” said Thura U Aung Ko.