Multiple heritage sites in Bengal, Sikkim starved of funds for two-years
A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that although footfall and revenue have increased at Archaeological Survey of India sites, at least six districts in West Bengal and important sites in Sikkim received no maintenance funds for ASI-protected monuments in 2022 and 2023. The RTI activists found that conservation funding for West Bengal's ASI sites is significantly below pre-pandemic levels, indicating a continued neglect of heritage sites and buildings.
The RTI response, accessed by the Sabar Institute, highlights prolonged gaps in conservation funding in the post-pandemic period, even as public interest and footfall at major sites began to recover.
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According to data shared by the ASI in response to the RTI, monuments in the districts including Cooch Behar, Dakshin Dinajpur, Darjeeling, Malda, Murshidabad, and Purba Medinipur saw no expenditure on upkeep over the two-year span. The lack of maintenance has also been felt in neighbouring Sikkim, where prominent sites like Rabdentse and Dubdi Monastery also received no funding during the same two years.
Increase in visitors
However, the number of visitors has risen post-pandemic, especially to popular sites such as Metcalfe Hall, Hazarduari Palace, Cooch Behar Palace, and the Bishnupur temples. Revenue from entry tickets and filming licences — especially at temples in Bankura and Purba Bardhaman — has also gone up.
'Kolkata has received maximum maintenance expenditure in the post-pandemic era. Many of the major heritage sites received no maintenance after the pandemic,' Annay De, Research Associate, Sabar Institute, one of the people behind the RTI queries, told The Hindu. He also stressed that some of the most significant and culturally rich locations are being affected due to this lack of maintenance and need immediate attention from stakeholders.
Decline in allocation
Yet the overall maintenance allocations have seen a steep decline. ASI sites in West Bengal received ₹4.73 crore in 2019–20 and ₹4.78 crore in 2020–21. This figure dropped significantly in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic and only marginally improved to ₹3.78 crore in 2022–23 — well below pre-COVID levels.
Mr. De added that credit is due to the ASI to a certain extent because they have also managed to raise maintenance expenditure after the sharp decline during the pandemic era.
Experts warn that such prolonged neglect could lead to irreversible damage to monuments and historical structures. 'This isn't just about stone and mortar,' said a researcher at the Sabar Institute. 'It's about memory, identity, and continuity. The cost of forgetting is far greater than the cost of preservation.'
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