Parliament Question: Conservation of Centrally Protected Monuments in Andhra Pradesh

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.98 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 CONSERVATION OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS IN ANDHRA PRADESH 98. SHRI G M HARISH BALAYOGI: Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state: (a) the details of the centrally protected monuments in Andhra Pradesh, district- wise; (b) the details of the funds allocated/released and utilised for the conservation of centrally protected monuments in Andhra Pradesh during the last three years and the current year, district, site and year-wise; (c) whether any site management plans have been prepared for the long-term conservation and visitor management of the centrally protected monuments in Andhra Pradesh and if so, the details thereof; (d) the details of the preservation, restoration and promotional measures undertaken at Bhimeswara Temple at Draksharamam in Konaseema district; and (e) whether the Government plans to include additional heritage sites in Andhra Pradesh under the list of centrally protected monuments, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefore? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) There are 135 ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains declared as of national importance in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The details are given as Annexure. (b) Amount allocated/released and utilized on the conservation and maintenance of protected monuments and areas in Andhra Pradesh during the last three years and current year are given as under: (Amount in Crore) Year Allocation Expenditure 2022-23 11.60 11.60 2023-24 14.70 14.70 2024-25 6.50 6.50 2025-26 4.00 2.61 (up to 15.07.2025) (c) Periodic review, inspection, conservation and preservation of the protected monuments and areas are taken up by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as per the need and requirement considering availability of funds and resources, following the national conservation policy.(d) Details of conservation measures undertaken at Bhimeswara Temple, Draksharamam in Konaseema district, Andhra Pradesh during last four years are as given under: Year Name of work 2021-22 Conservation of Nivedhan sala was completed. 2022-23 1.Restoration of damaged flooring, chemical cleaning and 2023-24 pointing to ancient stone walls and ceiling inside Goddess Manikyamaba temple was completed. 2.Removal of old flooring and providing stone flooring in front of southern entrance was completed. 3.Providing stone apron around Somavarapu Mandapam has completed. 4. Pointing to the inner prakara wall was completed. 2024-25 1. Chemical conservation to the main deity (Sivalingam) and srichakra of goddess Manikyamaba has been completed. (e) The declaration of monuments and sites to be of national importance is a regular process and monuments and sites are included in the list of monuments and sites of national importance as per the provision of Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.98 FOR 21.07.2025. DISTRICT-WISE DETAILS OF PROTECTED MONUMENTS AND PROTECTED AREAS AND THEIR AMOUNT ALLOCATED AND UTILISED FOR CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE IN THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH.DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS. Sl.No. Name of the Monument/ Site Locality District 1. Hill Fort and buildings therein and the Gooty Anantapuramu fortifications at the foot of the hill. 2. Madhavaraya temple (Old Vishnu temple) Gorantla Anantapuramu 3. Outer wall of the Mahalakshmi temple Goripalli Anantapuramu 4. Group of sculptures - Ancient Site Hemavati Anantapuramu 5. Group of old temples together with Hemavati Anantapuramu adjacent land 6. Large dolmen on a rocky hillock Kalyandurg Anantapuramu 7. Mallikarjuna (Siva) temple Kambaduru Anantapuramu 8. Veerabhadra temple Lepakashi Anantapuramu 9. Basavannah temple Lepakashi Anantapuramu 10. Hill fort Madakasira Anantapuramu 11. Large bastion and an old gateway Madakasira Anantapuramu 12. Old gopuram Penukonda Anantapuramu 13. Old stamba or lamp pillar in the Sub Penukonda Anantapuramu Collector's office compound 14. Seethatheertham stepped well with Penukonda Anantapuramu entrance in the from of a bull 15. Small pavillion and ruined water tower in Penukonda Anantapuramu a field 16. The citadel and ruined buildings on the Penukonda Anantapuramu hill 17. The Hill fort and northern gateway with Penukonda Anantapuramu inscriptions 18. Watch tower known as Rama's bastion Penukonda Anantapuramu 19. Hill fortressand a large wall Ratnagiri Anantapuramu 20. Extensive hill fortress with outlying Rayadurg Anantapuramu fortification 21. Palace and two temples of Rama and Rayadurg Anantapuramu Krishna 22. Chintalarayaswami temple Tadpatri Anantapuramu 23. Rameswaraswami temple Tadpatri Anantapuramu 24. Lower Fort Chandragiri Chittoor 25. Upper Fort Chandragiri Chittoor 26. Parasuramesvara temple Gudimallam Chittoor 27. Fort Gurramkonda Chittoor 28. Lower Fort , Center Fort wall, moat, old Gurramkonda Chittoor fort gateway, old hanuman temple, old mahammadan tomb, old mandapam and old mosque 29. Mahal Gurramkonda Chittoor 30. Palliswara mudaya Mahadeva temple Kalakada Chittoor 31. Venkateswara Vishnu temple Mangapuram Chittoor (Hamlet of Mittapalam) 32. Megalithic cairns with bounding stone Pandur Chittoor circles 33. Chennakeswaraswami temple Sompalle Chittoor34. Megalithic cists and cairns Virakuppam Chittoor (Birakuppam) 35. Mounds containing Buddhist remains Adurru East Godavari such as stupas 36. Gollingeswara group of temples Biccavolu East Godavari 37. Kanchragudi Biccavolu East Godavari 38. Monolithic Ganesa Image Biccavolu East Godavari 39. Nakkalagudi Biccavolu East Godavari 40. Veerabhadra temple Biccavolu East Godavari 41. Bhimeswara temple Draksharama East Godavari 42. Rock-cut caves and cisterns and remains Kapavaram East Godavari of Buddhist Stupas, Chaityas and Viharas (monasteries) on the hill Pandavula or Pandavulakonda 43. Buddhist remains at Kodavali Kodavali East Godavari 44. Bhimeswara temple Samalkot, East Godavari (Bhimavaram) 45. Ruined Buddhist stupa and other remains A m a r a v a t i G u n t u r 46. An Ancient Siva temple with inscription Ayyangaripalam Guntur (Hamlet of Pondugula) 47. Sri Bhavanarayanaswami temple Bapatla Guntur 48. Ruined Buddhist stupa Bhattiprolu Guntur 49. The Sculptures, carvings, images, bas Buddam Guntur reliefor other like objects discovered within the revenue limit 50. Kapoteswara temple with five Chejerla Guntur inscriptional slabs within the temple site 51. Inscribed rock to the west of Dharanikota Dharanikota Guntur 52. Fort in ruins Dharanikota Guntur 53. The Mounds with ancient remains on Grandhasiri Guntur them (Hamlet of Vornakallu) 54. Inscribed marble pillar near the Gopala Ipur Guntur temple 55. Ancient Buddhist remains with Brahmi Manchikallu Guntur inscriptions on the mound 56. Reconstructed monumets at Anupu Nagarjunakonda Guntur andNagarjunklonda hilltop 57. Mounds within the limit of Nagulavaram Nagulavaram Guntur 58. The Sculptures, carvings, images, bas Pullareddigudem Guntur relief on the ancient mound 59. (i) The mounds with remains of ancient Pullareddigudem Guntur building between the hillock of (Agarharam) Nagarjuna Konda and the village of Pullareddigudem (ii) Mounds adjacent to the hillock reddigudem (iii) Hill of Nagarjunakonda with the ancient remains 60. Four-storeyed rock-cut Hindu temple Undavalli Guntur 61. The Mounds with ancient remains Velpur Guntur 62. Vigneswara swami temple Chilamakuru Kadapa YSR 63. Agatheswarswami Temple Chilamkuru Kadapa YSR 64. Remains of the buried Jain temple Danavulapadu Kadapa YSR 65. Fort with enclosed ancient buildings, Gandikota Kadapa YSR Madhavaperumal temple and tower known as Madarsala66. Saumyanatha temple Nandalur Kadapa YSR 67. Ancient Village site Peddamudiyan Kadapa YSR 68. Kothandaramaswami Temple Peddamudiyan Kadapa YSR 69. Mukunteswara temple with inscriptions Peddamudiyan Kadapa YSR 70. Narasimha temple Peddamudiyan Kadapa YSR 71. Old Vishnu temple with inscriptions Peddamudiyan Kadapa YSR 72. Athirala Parasurama temple Poli Kadapa YSR 73. Bheemeshwara swami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 74. Indranadheshwara swami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 75. Kamalasamveswara swami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 76. Raghaveswara swami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 77. Sivakesavaswami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 78. Trikoteswara swami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 79. Vaidhyanadha swami temple Pushpagiri Kadapa YSR (hamlet of Kotluru) 80. Fort with ancient buildings therein Siddhout Kadapa YSR 81. Visvanatha swami temple Sivalpalli Kadapa YSR 82. Sri Kodandarma swamy temple and Vontimitta Kadapa YSR adjoining buildings 83. Ancient site with the mound marking the Alluru Krishna Buddhist Stupas in it 84. Buddhist remains in a mound Ghantasala Krishna 85. Mound containing Buddhist remains and Gudivada Krishna ancient village site. 86. Sculptures, carvings, images other like Gudur Krishna objects found in the vicinity of the old Mosque 87. Hillock containing the mound marking the Gummadiduru Krishna ancient remains of ancient Buddhist stupas situated on it 88. Buddhist remains of a Stupa on the hill Jaggayyapeta Krishna 89. Bandar Fort: (i) Armoury known as Fort Masulipathnam Krishna and customs office (ii) Belfry 90. Dutch cemetry (D.No. 308) Masulipathnam Krishna 91. Rock-cut cave temples on the Hill Mogalrajapuram Krishna 92. Ancient site and remains comprised in Munagacherla Krishna survey plot No. 37 93. Four pillars in the ruined mandapam in Vijayawada Krishna Jammidoddi 94. Inscribed Pillar and slab in Vijayawada Krishna Mallesvarasvami temple 95. Kiratharjuna Pillar on the Indrakilla Hill Vijayawada Krishna 96. Two rock-cut cave temples on the Vijayawada Krishna Indrakila hill known as Akkanna Muddanna caves 97. Ruined fort and buildings therein except Adoni Kurnool Ramazan masjid 98. Inscribed boulder bearing Andhra records Chinnakadaburu Kurnool of 150 A.D. 99. A prominent granite hillock bearing Jonnagiri Kurnool Asokan inscription100. Gateways and the bastions of the old Kurnool Kurnool fort, viz. (i) Bastion No.1 Beach Ghantki Buruzu (ii) Bastion No. 2 Lal Bangalow Buruzu (iii) Gateway to Gopala Darwaja (iv) Gateway to Panikiddi 101. Mausoleum known as Abdul Wahab Kurnool Kurnool Khan's Tomb and adjoining buildings 102. Nandavaram Temple including the Nandavaram Kurnool sculpture of Subrahamanya 103. The Asokan inscription, Two early Rajulamandagiri(H Kurnool Chalukya inscriptions and One late amlet of Jutur) Chalukya inscriptions. 104. Inscribed stone lying to the east of Siva Rayachoti Kurnool temple 105. Old Cave Temple Yaganti Kurnool 106. Uma-Mahesvaraswami Temple Yaganti Kurnool 107. Ancient Mounds Kanuparti Prakasam 108. A group of eight rock-cut temples in Kottapalli Prakasam Bhairavakonda hill 109. Chola Temple Motupalle Prakasam 110. Ancient Mound Pedaganjam Prakasam 111. Pitikeswara group of temples including Pittikayagulla Prakasam Approach road 112. Ancient Site Pusalapadu Prakasam 113. Ramalingeswara group of temples Satiavolu Prakasam 114. Mound known as 'Bodipati Dibba' Ramatirtham SPSR- Nellore (Hamlet of Varini) 115. Ancient Mound in part of S.No. 855 A Ramatirtham SPSR- Nellore 116. Hill Fort with Ancient buildings therein Udayagiri SPSR- Nellore 117. Krishna Temple in a part of Donka with Udayagiri SPSR- Nellore Gopuram, Kalyanamandapam and Masonry built Tank 118. Ranganayakula Temple Udayagiri SPSR- Nellore 119. Ancient Mound Kalingapatnam Srikakulam 120. Sri Somesvara temple Mukhalingam Srikakulam 121. Bhimesvara temple Mukhalingesvara Srikakulam 122. Mukhalingesvara temple Mukhalingesvara Srikakulam 123. Buddhist remains: Salihundam Srikakulam (i) Six Images, (ii) Three images and some more images on the hill, (iii) One image, (iv) Three images 124. Eastern portion of Salihundam hill Salihundam Srikakulam containing Buddhist remains ( A Chaitya and four stupas) 125. Ancient Buddhist Mounds locally known Kotturu (near Vishakhapatnam as 'Dhana Dibbalu' Gokivada forest) 126. Buddhist rock-cut stupas, Dagebas and Sankaram Vishakhapatnam caves and the ruins of a structural Chaitya with its outbuilding and other Ancient remains on twoadjoining hills known as Bojjanna Konda. 127. Durga Bhairavakonda having an ancient Neelavati Vizianagaram monument called Durga 128. Ruined Buddhist Monastery at Ramathirtham Vizianagaram Gurubhaktulakonda 129. The old temple (Dibbesvarasvami Sarapalli Vizianagaram temple) (Sarapalle)130. Mounds containing Buddhist remains Arugolanu West Godavari 131. Mounds locally known as Denduluru West Godavari Bhimalingadibba 132. Buddhist monuments Guntupalle West Godavari (i) Rock-cut temple, (ii) Large Monastery, (iii) Small Monastery,(iv) Brick Chaitya, (v) Ruined Mandapa, (vi) Stone built Stupa andLarge group of stupas 133. The caves and structural stupa of Jilakarragudem West Godavari Archaeological interest on (Hamlet of Dharmalingesvarasvami hill Guntupalle) 134. Ancient Mounds in S.No. 501-1 Pedavegi West Godavari 135. The mounds of Pedavegi : Dibba No.1 Pedavegi West Godavari Dibba No.2, Dibba No. 3, Dibba No. 4, Dibba No. 5. *****