The State Archaeology Department will be developing 12 important protected monuments across Tamil Nadu with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a total of cost of ₹22.75 crore, Minister of Tamil Development and Archaeology K. Pandiarajan said.
The Alamparai Fort on the East Coast Road in Kancheepuram district, Hill Fort at Thyagadurgam in Villupuram district, Poondi Arugar Temple, Chinnayankulam at Chinnayanpettai, Thadagapureeswarar Temple at Madam and Gangaikonda Choleeswarar Temple at Koolamandal in Tiruvannamalai district are among the sites to be developed.
Facelift for forts
Manora Fort at Sarabendrarajapattinam in Thanjavur district, Dutch Tomb in Nagapattinam district, Marudhupandiyar Fort at Aranmanai Siruvayal village in Sivaganga district, Tirumalai Nayakkar Palace in Madurai district, Kattabomman Fort at Panchalankurichi in Thoothukudi district and Udhayagiri Fort in Kanniyakumari district would also be covered. “The plan is to develop these sites so that the footfall to these places can be improved,” he said.
Improving museums
The department was also looking at tying up with corporate majors in boosting the infrastructure of museums across the State. “We are involving 52 corporates as of now,” he said.
One of the corporates has come forward to revive the pond in the Egmore campus. The Minister said the department was planning to make a visit to the district museum compulsory for school students.
“Exposing them to archaeology at an young age will help develop their interest in it,” he added.
The two district museums in Theni and Tiruvannamalai , announced in the Assembly, were nearing completion and would be inaugurated before year end. The process of opening an museum of fossils in Ariyalur district is at an advanced stage.
Steps are on to set up site museums at Adichanallur in Thoothukudi district, Keezhadi in Sivaganga district and Alagankulam in Ramanathapuram district.