
10-Year Elaborate Plan To Conserve Shivaji Forts Granted Heritage Tag
Conservation of the 12 forts associated with Shivaji Maharaj, which have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites, will involve a comprehensive 10-year plan focusing on retaining historical characteristics, managing garbage, and deploying manpower.
A senior official told PTI that conservation of areas of these forts, that attract a large number of visitors, will be prioritised in the complex exercise, which will involve various departments.
The UNESCO has inscribed 'Maratha Military Landscapes', comprising Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay Durg, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu, in the World Heritage List.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, underlined the complexities of conservation, considering the unique topography and historical characteristics of every fort.
"Though the UNESCO tag has been allotted, there is a set of challenges we must overcome. We have prepared and submitted a 10-year plan to tackle these issues across all 12 forts," he said.
He emphasised that each fort has unique characteristics, so a uniform approach won't be effective.
"Conservation is a major task which will be executed after conducting a detailed study. We will start with areas that experience heavy footfall-this could include gates, fortifications, and other historical structures. In places where communities reside on the forts, we will work to give the locality a traditional and heritage-friendly look," the official added.
Following this, efforts will focus on inaccessible areas, aiming to make them open and safe for visitors.
The initiative will not be restricted to a single department, he said.
"We will collaborate with district planning committees, the Public Works Department (PWD), the tourism department, and other government agencies to enhance visitor access and infrastructure," he said.
Manpower and garbage management have also been identified as critical areas.
"While there may not be entry tickets, district administrations can levy a nominal fee for waste management and security. Dedicated manpower will be deployed, and strict monitoring of plastic use will be enforced," the official said.
He stressed the need to sensitise visitors about the historical and cultural significance of these forts. "Public awareness and responsible tourism are vital for preserving these heritage sites," he said.
The official said the proposal submitted to the UNESCO extended beyond architectural significance.
"It also strongly emphasised the philosophy of self-rule or 'Swarajya' envisioned in the 17th century for the welfare of the people. This holistic narrative was crucial in achieving the World Heritage recognition," he said.
Director of Archaeology and Museums for the Government of Maharashtra, Tejas Garge, Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Kharge and other officials played a key role in this project.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
PM's visit set to boost tourism in Tiruchi region
The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Brahadisvara Ttemple at Gandgaikonda Cholapuram near Jayankondam, a UNESCO world Heritage monument maintained by the Archaeology Society of India, is set to boost tourism. Ever since the temple was declared as a world heritage monument in 2004, the number of visitors has been on the rise. Foreign tourists evince greater interest in understanding the grandeur and excellence of Chola architecture and sculpture that the temple features. The sprawling lush green lawns on the temple premises teems with children especially on weekends. According to tourism industry sources, Gangaikonda Cholapuram has emerged as one of the top searched items online since the announcement was made on Prime Minister's visit to Brahadisvar Temple about two weeks ago. Besides a number of YouTube channels in Tamil, Hindi, English and others, the event was broadcast live on many news channels across the country, thereby garnering enormous interest among the people to know Rajendra Chola I and the temple built by him. Tourism officials say the temple ranks among the top three places of archaeological significance in Tamil Nadu. The other two are the Brahadisvarar Temple in Thanjavur and the Airavatesvara temple of Darasuram. They are of the view that the tourist footfall to Gangaikonda Cholapuram will certainly witness a steep increase in the immediate future thanks to the immense popularity gained after the visit of Mr. Modi. On average, 9,000 to 10,000 tourists visit Gangaikonda cholapuram per month. As per a recent official data, 9,107 tourists visited Brahadeeswarar Temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram in May. The footfall includes 342 foreigners. A total of 6,626 tourists visited in June. 'We expect an exponential increase in tourists, particularly domestic, arrival to Gangaikonda cholapuram. We can see this upward trend in August month itself. The tourist footfall in neighbouring Thanjavur and Tiruchi districts will increase correspondingly,' says A. Sankar, Tourism Officer, Ariyalur district.


News18
an hour ago
- News18
IndiGo to add more intl destinations; to explore new MRO opportunities
New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) IndiGo will continue to add more overseas destinations with A321 XLRs set to join the fleet this fiscal year and aims to increase its international capacity share to 40 per cent by 2030. Also, the country's largest airline plans to explore new opportunities in the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) space, according to its annual report for 2024-25. IndiGo, which has been flying for over 18 years, has a domestic market share of 64.5 per cent, operates around 2,200 flights daily with more than 430 planes. 'We will continue to add more destinations internationally, especially with XLRs coming in along with our newly leased wide body aircraft for long haul operations. From 28 per cent current international capacity share, we are aiming for 40 per cent by FY 2030," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in his message in the annual report. Earlier this month, the carrier started flights to Manchester and Amsterdam that are being operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliners leased from Norway's Norse Atlantic. The long range A321 XLRs and wide-body A350-900s are expected to join the airline's fleet in the current fiscal year ending March 2026, and 2027, respectively. 'IndiGo also plans to explore new opportunities in the MRO space as India's infrastructure development is picking up," it said. The airline is setting up an MRO facility in Bengaluru. In the annual report, the airline said its outlook remains promising, supported by a healthy demand environment and firm capacity growth. 'While macroeconomic uncertainties and operating headwinds such as aircraft groundings and fuel cost volatility remain, IndiGo continues to proactively manage these challenges through fleet diversification, damp leasing strategies and strategic agreements with OEMs," it said. OEM refers to original equipment manufacturer. PTI RAM IAS TRB view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 20:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
7 Hill Towns in India to Go Off-Grid and Unplug
The monotonous routines of our life often tire us to the extent that we want to escape from it. What's better than hill stations in India for an escape! Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, your work, and amongst cleaner air with breathtaking landscapes all around, you need to go to these places that we are going to list down for you for your next trip—and even better, all of these places are off-grid and unplugged. Let's get into it: Chitkul, Himachal Pradesh This hill station is located at 3,450 m above sea level in the Baspa valley of Kinnaur. What makes this hill station even more visit-worthy is that it is the last inhabited village before the Indo-Tibet border. This is the perfect place for people really wanting to have a detox from their phone, as visitors won't have any network here, so you can relax here amongst cleaner air, visit some apple orchards, or tranquil mountains. Chopta, Uttarakhand Chopta is at an elevation of 2,700 m and is a densely forested land. This place is also part of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Chopta is also known worldwide as the 'Mini Switzerland of India'. This hill station has very minimal connectivity and some parts don't even have electricity and run on solar or batteries. From this location, you can see the beautiful view of the Nanda Devi and Trishul peaks and even trek to Tungnath and Chandrashila. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh This valley is located in the Great Himalayan National Park. This place is also an off-grid destination away from the crowd and tourist circuits. One can enjoy the experience of homestays, that too on the riverside in Gushaini, Jibhi, and Banjar, which have a blend of local culture and sustainable practices. One can also do activities like fishing, gentle hikes and treks, and have an experience of slow life here. Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand This is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Uttarakhand and is a beautiful alpine valley where more than 300 species of wildflowers bloom. Visitors can enjoy life away from their phones here, as there is no mobile signal, beautiful flowers all around, and breathe some fresh and crisp air here along with a ritualistic energy around. Changlang Region This region is located in Arunachal Pradesh, where one is surrounded by misty forests and flowing rivers. There is no network coverage here and it offers a quieter atmosphere to everyone, which remains undisturbed by technology throughout the year and also provides a glimpse into the culture here. Ziro Valley This hill station is also located in Arunachal Pradesh and is known worldwide for its terraced rice fields. This provides the perfect blend of natural beauty and tribal Apatani culture along with hills all around. There is limited signal in this valley as well, especially along the trekking routes. This is also a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape with a serene atmosphere. Lungthung–Dhupidara, Sikkim This hamlet is located in East Sikkim and offers the breathtaking view of the Kanchenjunga range and limited network connectivity—an ideal atmosphere to detox away from the stress of daily life. What makes this place even more visit-worthy is that it is located above the iconic Silk Route Road and wildflowers are blooming all around with a sea of clouds.