Lok Sabha Question No. 5846 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Development of Monuments in Trichy Circle
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Matheswaran V S

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5846

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026

## DEVELOPMENT OF MONUMENTS IN TRICHY CIRCLE

## 5846. SHRI MATHESWARAN V S:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  development  or  construction  activities  undertaken  in  Trichy  circle  of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Tamil Nadu, during the period from 2019 to till date, monument-wise; and
- (b) the details of area of ASI land under encroachment in Trichy Circle of ASI, along with steps taken by ASI to free the encroachment, monument wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND  TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) The  details  of  development  and  construction  activities  undertaken  in  Trichy  circle  of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Tamil Nadu, From 2019 to till date, monumentwise are given at Annexure-I
- (b) The details of area of ASI land under encroachment in Trichy Circle of ASI are given at Annexure-II. The District Administration and Police Authorities have been requested to take action to remove the illegal encroachments.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 5846   FOR 30.03.2026.

## Details of development works undertaken by ASI, Trichy circle from 2019 till date

|   S.No. | Name of the monument                                                                                    | Work description                                                                |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Dolmens at Vilpatti                                                                                     | Fencing work                                                                    |
|       2 | Uttamanathasvami Siva Temple, Kiranur                                                                   | Providing MS grill fencing                                                      |
|       3 | Siva Temple. , Panangudi                                                                                | Fencing work.                                                                   |
|       4 | Jain idol and the remains of the Jain temple., Letchumanpatti,                                          | Fencing work.                                                                   |
|       5 | Jain Theerthankara images now lying in the dry lands to the north-east of Alangudipatti hamlet.,Puliyur | Fencing work.                                                                   |
|       6 | The Kailasanatha Temple., Vellanur,                                                                     | Providing dwarf wall and fencing                                                |
|       7 | A Big gun known as 'Rajagopal' in the east Rampart and thebastion.,Thanjavur                            | Providing PNB, CNB                                                              |
|       8 | Brihadisvara Temple., GangaikondaCholapuram,                                                            | Providing stone benches, installation of RO units.                              |
|       9 | Prehistoric remains., Adichanallur                                                                      | Providing toughened glass and shelter at the excavated site                     |
|      10 | Muruganatha Temple, Tirumurugan- poondi                                                                 | Fencing work                                                                    |
|      11 | Rock-cut beds under natural rock shelter in Ammanamalai or Samanarmalai. ,Melakuilkudy,                 | Fencing works                                                                   |
|      12 | Excavated Remains of BuddhistVihara and Temple atPallanareswaram. ,Melaiyur,                            | Construction of RR stone revetment.                                             |
|      13 | Airavatesvarar temple, ChatramDarasuram                                                                 | Providing CNB, PNB, dustbin, stone benches, installation RO, solar lights, CCTV |
|      14 | Uttamanathaswami Siva temple, Kiranur                                                                   | Providing MS grill fencing                                                      |
|      15 | Brihadiswara Temple Gangaikondacholapuram                                                               | Providing Illumination, MS grill works                                          |

## Details of construction activities undertaken by ASI, Trichy circle from 2019 till date

|   S.No. | Name of the monument                                                                                          | Work description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Brihadisvara temple, Gangaikondacholapuram                                                                    | Construction of Toilet block, RO Drinking water facility, Publication counter, cafeteria and development of Landscaping & Horticulture works.                                                                                                   |
|       2 | Brihadisvara temple, Thanjavur (Sivaganga Little fort enclosing the great temple, Thanjavur)                  | Construction of Toilet block, RO drinking water facilities, cafeteria, pathways and development of landscaping & provision for bore well.                                                                                                       |
|       3 | AR to Rock cut Jain Temple (Arivarkoil) at Sittanavasal                                                       | Construction of ticket counter, cafeteria building, RO drinking water unit, toilet block, pathway, publication sale counter, cloak room, office room, demolition of old toilet blocks and development of landscaping & provision for bore well. |
|       4 | Muvarkoil with surrounding sub-shrines, stone enclosure and stone well on the north-east corner at Kodumbalur | Construction of ticket counter, cafeteria building, RO drinking water unit, toilet block, pathway and demolition of old toilet blocks                                                                                                           |
|       5 | Remains of Aivarkovil at Kodumbalur                                                                           | Construction of RO drinking water unit.                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|       6 | Sugrivesvara temple and tank at Sircarperiyapalayam                                                           | Construction of toilet block and installation of RO drinking water unit.                                                                                                                                                                        |
|       7 | Two rock cut temples with inscriptions in varnachimalai at Thirumalapuram                                     | Construction of toilet block                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO.  5846  FOR 30.03.2026.

The details of illegal encroachments in respect of ASI, Trichy Circle.

|   Sl. No. | Name of the monument                                                                                                            | Number of encroachments   | Nature of encroachment        |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------|
|         1 | Fort on rock, Pallapatti, Dindigul district                                                                                     | 107 nos.                  | House, Hut                    |
|         2 | Sikhanathaswami Temple, Kudumiyanmalai, Pudukkottai district                                                                    | 12 nos.                   | House                         |
|         3 | Siva (Erumbeswaraswami) Temple, Thiruverumbur, Trichy district                                                                  | 200 nos.                  | House, Shops &Hut             |
|         4 | Sundereswara Temple with 7 sub- shrines, Thirukattalai, Pudukkottai district                                                    | 1 no.                     | House                         |
|         5 | The natural cavern called Andarmatam, Sembuthi, Pudukkottai district                                                            | 3 nos.                    | Hut                           |
|         6 | Rock-cut Jain bas-relief and beds and a mutilated Jain stone image, Karadipatti, Madurai district                               | 33 nos.                   | Hut, House &shop              |
|         7 | Airavatesvarar Temple, Chatram, Darasuram, Thanjavur district                                                                   | 3 nos.                    | Hut, House                    |
|         8 | Fort Gateway, Trichy, Trichy district                                                                                           | 49 nos.                   | Shops extension encroachments |
|         9 | (a) The Rock-cut Siva Temple (b) Car Mantapam with wheels in the front part of the plinth, Kunnandarkovil, Pudukkottai district | 19 nos.                   | House/shop/ hut               |
|        10 | Sivaganga little fort enclosing the great temple, Thanjavur, Thanjavur district                                                 | 4 nos.                    | Hut, shed                     |

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