Lok Sabha Question No. 1379 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Differently-abled Friendly Heritage Sites
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1379 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## DIFFERENTLY- ABLED FRIENDLY HERITAGE SITES

## 1379 . SHRI. MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state :

- a)   whether  the  country  has  38  UNESCO  World  Heritage  Sites  out  of  which  30  are cultural sites, 7 are natural sites and 1 is a mixed site which makes India a home of World Heritage sites and if so, the details thereof;
- b)  whether the Government is contemplating to make these heritage sites accessible to differently-abled persons which will further strengthen the country's rank in upcoming editions of the Travel Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) and also in establishing the  country  as  a  leading  model  of  accessibility  planning  and  implementation  in  the South Asian Region;
- c)  if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- d)  whether the Government proposes to improve infrastructure in the present museums and art galleries for differently-abled persons rather than building separate art galleries or sections at museums to meet the needs of such persons with disabilities; and
- e)  the  efforts  made  to  develop  inclusive  cultural  spaces,  technologies  and  learning programmes to encourage the participation of differently-abled persons?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM (PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

- (a)  Yes  Sir,  India  has  38  UNESCO World Heritage Sites, out of which, 30 are cultural sites, 07 are natural and 01 is a mixed site. The list of world heritage sites is annexed at Annexure-I.
- (b)  &  (c)  Yes  Sir,  arrangements  have  been  made  at  most  of  the  World  Heritage  Sites under Archaeological Survey of India to make these sites accessible to differently-abled persons by providing wheel chairs, ramps, Braile cultural notice boards, etc.

(d) & (e) Yes Sir. As far as possible, the facilities for differently-abled persons have been provided  in  Archaeological  Site  Museums  of  ASI  which  includes  -  wheel-chair  facility, ramps, tactile flooring (in different colours and textures), Braille captions/ signages, tactile models, etc.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA QUESTION NO 1379 FOR DATED 19.09.2020

## 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)   | Rajasthan   |
|-------|------------------------------------|-------------|

## 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)   | Gujarat   |
|-------|-------------------------------------|-----------|

## 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   |
|-------|----------------------------------------|----------|