Lok Sabha Question No. 4268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Inclusion of Shantiniketan in UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Site
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Su Thirunavukkarasar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4268

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## INCLUSION OF SHANTINIKETAN IN UNESCO'S LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE SITE

4268. SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:-

- (a) the names of heritage sites in the country which were declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and annual footfall of each of them;
- (b) whether India has sent a proposal to include Shantiniketan -the abode of Nobel Laureate poet, Shri Rabindra Nath Tagore for declaration inUNESCO's List of World Heritage Sites; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the said proposal is likely to be granted?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM

(SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

- (a) At present, India has 38 UNESCO World Heritage Properties. The list is placed here with  as  ' Annexure-I '.  Details  of  annual  footfall  of  World  Heritage  Properties  under Protection of Archaeological Survey of India are placed at 'Annexure-II'.
- (b)& (c) Yes Sir. Santiniketan, India has been submitted for the inscription process for the cycle 2021-22. As per UNESCO'sOperational Guidelines 2019,inclusion of sites in World Heritage List depends upon the Outstanding Universal Value of the Property to be  evaluated  by  ICOMOS  evaluation  unit.  Accordingly,  the  decision  to  include  the Property in the World Heritage List is taken by World Heritage Committee in the annual session.

## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO4268 FOR DATED 22.03.2021

## WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA (38)

CULTURAL SITES:

## Under Protection of Archaeological Survey of India (22)

|   S. No | Name of Site                                                                                                                                                                                           | State          |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
|       1 | Agra Fort (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                       | Uttar Pradesh  |
|       2 | Ajanta Caves (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                    | Maharashtra    |
|       3 | Ellora Caves (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                    | Maharashtra    |
|       4 | Taj Mahal (1983)                                                                                                                                                                                       | Uttar Pradesh  |
|       5 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)                                                                                                                                                             | Tamil Nadu     |
|       6 | Sun Temple, Konarak (1984)                                                                                                                                                                             | Odisha         |
|       7 | Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)                                                                                                                                                                    | Goa            |
|       8 | Fatehpur Sikri (1986)                                                                                                                                                                                  | Uttar Pradesh  |
|       9 | Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)                                                                                                                                                                     | Karnataka      |
|      10 | Khajuraho, Group of Temples (1986)                                                                                                                                                                     | Madhya Pradesh |
|      11 | Elephanta Caves ( 1987)                                                                                                                                                                                | Maharashtra    |
|      12 | Great Living Chola Temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram (1987 & 2004)                                                                                                             | Tamil Nadu     |
|      13 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)                                                                                                                                                                | Karnataka      |
|      14 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)                                                                                                                                                                    | Madhya Pradesh |
|      15 | Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)                                                                                                                                                                           | Delhi          |
|      16 | QutbMinar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)                                                                                                                                                              | Delhi          |
|      17 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)                                                                                                                                                                      | Madhya Pradesh |
|      18 | Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park (2004)                                                                                                                                                          | Gujarat        |
|      19 | Red Fort Complex, Delhi (2007)                                                                                                                                                                         | Delhi          |
|      20 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittaurgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer and Ranthambhore, Amber and GagronForts) (2013) (Amber and Gagron Forts are under protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums) | Rajasthan      |
|      21 | Rani-ki-Vav (The Queen's Stepwell) at Patan (2014)                                                                                                                                                     | Gujarat        |
|      22 | Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda (2016)                                                                                                                       | Bihar          |

## Under Protection of Ministry of Railways (2)

|   23. | Mountain Railways of India ( Darjeeling,1999), Nilgiri (2005), Kalka- Shimla(2008)   | West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh   |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|    24 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)                     | Maharashtra                                 |

## Under Protection of Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (1)

| 25   | Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, (2002)   | Bihar   |
|------|-------------------------------------------------|---------|

## Under Protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums   (1)

| 26.   | The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)   |
|-------|------------------------------------|

## Under Protection of Chandigarh Administration (1)

| 27.   | The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)   | Chandigarh   |
|-------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|

## Under Protection of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation  (1)

| 28.   | Historic City of Ahmedabad (2017)   |
|-------|-------------------------------------|

## Under Protection of Bombay Municipal Corporation (1)

| 29.   | Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai (2018) Govt   | of Maharashtra   |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------|------------------|

## Under Protection of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (1)

| 30.   | Jaipur City, Rajasthan (2019)   | Govt of Rajasthan   |
|-------|---------------------------------|---------------------|

## NATURAL SITES: (7)

## Under Protection of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changes

|   31. | Kaziranga National Park (1985)                               | Assam                                     |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|    32 | Keoladeo National Park (1985)                                | Rajasthan                                 |
|    33 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)                              | Assam                                     |
|    34 | Sunderbans National Park (1987)                              | West Bengal                               |
|    35 | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005) | Uttarakhand                               |
|    36 | Western Ghats (2012)                                         | Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu |
|    37 | Great Himalayan National Park (2014)                         | Himachal Pradesh                          |

## MIXED SITE: (1)

## Under Protection of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changes

| 38.   | Khangchendzonga National Park (2016)   | Sikkim   |
|-------|----------------------------------------|----------|

## ANNEXURE-II

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 4268 FOR DATED 22.03.2021

|   S.N | Name of Site                                                                               | Annual Footfalls 2019-20                                                   | Annual Footfalls 2020-21 (Jan)                                             |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|     1 | Agra Fort (1983)                                                                           | 2056719                                                                    | 284704                                                                     |
|     2 | Ajanta Caves (1983)                                                                        | 293401                                                                     | 37974                                                                      |
|     3 | Ellora Caves (1983)                                                                        | 1280687                                                                    | 165166                                                                     |
|     4 | Taj Mahal (1983)                                                                           | 5164828                                                                    | 1033018                                                                    |
|     5 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)                                                 | 1313780                                                                    | 247632                                                                     |
|     6 | Sun Temple, Konarak (1984)                                                                 | 2002721                                                                    | 368582                                                                     |
|     7 | Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)                                                        | This is not a ticketed property, hence, No data on footfalls is available. | This is not a ticketed property, hence, No data on footfalls is available. |
|     8 | Fatehpur Sikri (1986)                                                                      | 651663                                                                     | 94108                                                                      |
|     9 | Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)                                                         | 614244                                                                     | 256304                                                                     |
|    10 | Khajuraho, Group of Temples (1986)                                                         | 286738                                                                     | 90888                                                                      |
|    11 | Elephanta Caves ( 1987)                                                                    | 724783                                                                     | 66712                                                                      |
|    12 | Great Living Chola Temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram (1987 & 2004) | This is not a ticketed property, hence, No data on footfalls is available. | This is not a ticketed property, hence, No data on                         |

|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                        |         |   footfalls is available. |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------------------------|
| 13 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)                                                                                                                                                                |  266477 |                    152653 |
| 14 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)                                                                                                                                                                    |  270805 |                     46543 |
| 15 | Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)                                                                                                                                                                           |  860606 |                    188111 |
| 16 | Qutab Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)                                                                                                                                                            | 2303464 |                    343733 |
| 17 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)                                                                                                                                                                      |   78415 |                     36020 |
| 18 | Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park (2004)                                                                                                                                                          |   61350 |                     80905 |
| 19 | Red Fort Complex, Delhi (2007)                                                                                                                                                                         | 2291408 |                    188435 |
| 20 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittaurgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer and Ranthambhore, Amber and GagronForts) (2013) (Amber and Gagron Forts are under protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums) | 1087048 |                    657470 |
| 21 | Rani-ki-Vav (The Queen's Stepwell) at Patan (2014)                                                                                                                                                     |  340950 |                     78514 |
| 22 | Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda (2016)                                                                                                                       |  478116 |                     94868 |

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