Parliament Question: Delisting of Megalithic Sites in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *117 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025 DELISTING OF MEGALITHIC SITES IN TAMIL NADU *117 DR.T.SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN: THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that out of 400 plus centrally protected Archaeological Monuments/ Sites under both Chennai and Tiruchirappalli circles in Tamil Nadu nearly 157 are megalithic monuments of different types and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether it is true that some of the megalithic sites that were identified during the British rule are now completely untraceable due to extensive agriculture, rapid urbanization and infrastructure developments and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has conducted any recent survey to trace and record the list of such megalithic sites that got vanished and no longer considered a protected Monument/Site, if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the Government has received any plea for delisting of the megalithic sites in Tamil Nadu which were lost/vanished due to urbanization and if so, the details thereof; (e) the steps taken by the Government for delisting of vanished megalithic sites from the list of centrally protected monuments/sites under section 35 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958; and (f) the current status and live condition of the megalithic sites located at Guduvancheri, Nanmangalam, Pallavaram, Perungalathur, Sembakkam, Sittalapakkam, St.Thomas Mount Tiruneermalai, Tirisulam, Vallanjeri and Vandalur in Tamil Nadu? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 117* FOR 08.12.2025.RAISED BY DR.T.SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN: THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: HON’BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING DELISTING OF MEGALITHIC SITES IN TAMIL NADU (a) There are 412 ancient monuments and archaeological sites of national importance in the State of Tamil Nadu under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), covering both the Chennai and Tiruchirappalli Circles. Out of these, 158 are megalithic monuments of different types. The circle-wise details are at Annexure. (b) None of the megalithic sites notified as monuments/ areas of national importance have become untraceable. (c) Question does not arise. (d) The Government has received certain representations from individuals and Residents’ Welfare Associations seeking withdrawal of protection notifications in respect of some megalithic sites. Which are as follows- 1. Representation of Sh. Kishore Vaangal dated 11-4-2025 in respect of Megalithic Cists and Cairns, Ezhichur, District Kanchipuram. 2. Representation of Sembakkam Region Residents’ Welfare Association dated 8-11-2024 in respect of Megalithic Cists and Cairns, Sembakam, District Kanchipuram. (e) Question does not arise. (f) The megalithic sites at Guduvancheri, Nanmangalam, Pallavaram, Perungalathur, Sembakkam, Sittalapakkam, St. Thomas Mount, Tiruneermalai, Trisulam, Vallanjeri and Vandalur have been adversely affected by rapid urbanization and related developmental activities, resulting in encroachments and unauthorized constructions within the Protected, Prohibited and Regulated Areas. ASI has issued stop-work and show-cause notices against such violations in accordance with the AMASR Act, 1958 (as amended in 2010) and the relevant Rules. The cases have also been forwarded to the concerned District Authorities and Local Police for necessary action, and regularly monitored to prevent further unauthorized activities.ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *117 FOR 08.12.2024. MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES, IN THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU SL. NAME OF THE MONUMENT LOCALITY DISTRICT NO. 1. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Agaram Chengalpattu 2. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Amur Chengalpattu 3. Megalithic Cists and Cairns in group Araiyapakkam Chengalpattu 4. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Atcharavakkam Chengalpattu 5. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Edakunram Chengalpattu 6. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Gudalur Chengalpattu 7. Cairns in the Forest Reserve at the foot Kadamalaiputhur Chengalpattu of the Perumbair hills 8. Group of Cairns Kadapperi Chengalpattu 9. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Kalanipakkam Chengalpattu 10. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Kalvay Chengalpattu 11. Cists and Cairns Kannakapattu Chengalpattu 12. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with Kandalur Chengalpattu Bounding stone circles 13. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Kattuputhur Chengalpattu circles 14. Megalithic Cairns and Cists with stone Kilambakkam Chengalpattu circles 15. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Madayattur Chengalpattu 16. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Mailai Chengalpattu 17. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Mampattu Chengalpattu 18. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Manamai Chengalpattu 19. Large groups megalithic Cists and Cairns Melkottaiyur Chengalpattu 20. A Group of Cairns Nanmangalam Chengalpattu 21. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Nedungundram Chengalpattu 22. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Ottivakkam Chengalpattu 23. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Ottiyambakkam Chengalpattu 24. Megalithic Cairns and Cists showing Pallavaram Chengalpattu clear structural Postures 25. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Perumbakkam Chengalpattu 26. Megalithic Cists with stone circles Perungalattur Chengalpattu circumscribed 27. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Ponmar Chengalpattu circles 28. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Pundi Chengalpattu 29. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Sanur Chengalpattu 30. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Sembakkam Chengalpattu 31. Group of Cairns Senkunram Chengalpattu 32. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Sirudavur Chengalpattu 33. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Sittalapakkam Chengalpattu 34. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Thandalam Chengalpattu 35. Group of Cairns Tiruneermalai Chengalpattu 36. Megalithic cist Tiruneermalai Chengalpattu 37. Vast area of megalithic Cists and Cairns Tiruporur Chengalpattu covering the entire hill with the temple ofKailasanatha 38. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Vaiyavur Chengalpattu 39. Megalithic Cairns and Cists with stone Vallanjeri Chengalpattu circles 40. Megalithic cist Vandalur Chengalpattu 41. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Virapuram Chengalpattu 42. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Agaram Chengalpattu 43. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Alattur Chengalpattu 44. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Anur Chengalpattu 45. Megalithic Cairns and Cists with stone Ayyanjeri Chengalpattu circles 46. Megalithic Cairns and Cists with stone Guduvancheri Chengalpattu circles 47. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Kalathur Chengalpattu 48. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Kottamedu Chengalpattu 49. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Kumili Chengalpattu 50. Megalithic Cairns and Cists with Kunnavakkam Chengalpattu bounding stone circles 51. Megalithic Cairns and Cists with stone Kuruvanmedu Chengalpattu circles 52. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Malaivaiyavur Chengalpattu 53. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Musipakkam Chengalpattu 54. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Naduvakkarai Chengalpattu circles 55. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Nandivaram Chengalpattu circles 56. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with Nattam Chengalpattu bounding stone circles 57. Megalithic Cists and ciarns Nellikuppam Chengalpattu 58. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Olalur Chengalpattu cirles 59. MagalithicCists and Cairns Padur Chengalpattu 60. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Palliyagaram Chengalpattu circles 61. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Paranur Chengalpattu 62. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Porundavakkam Chengalpattu 63. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Pudupakkam Chengalpattu 64. Megalithic Cists and Cairns bounded with Pulipakkam Chengalpattu stone circles 65. Megalithic Cists circumscribed by stone Rajakulipettai Chengalpattu circles 66. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Rayalpattu Chengalpattu circles 67. Megalithic Cists and Cairns in virgin state Sastirampakkam Chengalpattu 68. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Sembakkam Chengalpattu 69. Megalithic Cists and Cairns intact with Settipuniyam Chengalpattu stone circles 70. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Sirukunram Chengalpattu 71. Urn Burial and Megalithic Site St. Thomas Mount Chengalpattu 72. Sarcophagi and urns spread over a wide Tirusulam Chengalpattu area; traces of Megalithic Cists and circles 73. Megalithic graveyard Tiruvadisulam Chengalpattu 74. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Unamanjeri Chengalpattu 75. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Vedanarayana Chengalpattu circles puram 76. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Vembedu Chengalpattu 77. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Vengur Chengalpattu78. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Venkitapuram Chengalpattu circles 79. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Venpakkam Chengalpattu circles 80. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Venpakkam Chengalpattu circles 81. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Pammadukulam Chennai 82. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Pottur, Ambattur Chennai 83. Prehistoric settlement site coeval with Pulal, Ambattur Chennai Megalithic period 84. Mandapakadu Chettipalayam Coimbatore Dolmens near Palamalai (attached to 85. Adukkam Dindigul Adukkam village) 86. Dolmens in Machur Pannaikadu Dindigul 87. Dolmens near Machur Pannaikadu Dindigul Dolmens near Talayar river on the top of 88. Pannaikadu Dindigul a hill in Pannaikudu village 89. Dolmens in Vilpatti village Vilpatti Dindigul 90. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with Echchur Kanchipuram bounding stone circles 91. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Elutchur Kanchipuram 92. Megalithic Cairns and cist Erumaiyur Kanchipuram 93. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with Gunduperumbedu Kanchipuram bounding stone circles 94. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Karanithangal, Kanchipuram 95. Megalithic cist and Cairns with stone Kunnattur Kanchipuram circles on the hill 96. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with Maganiyam Kanchipuram bounding stone circles 97. Megalithic Cists&Cairns with Bounding Malaipattu Kanchipuram stone circles 98. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Nandambakkam Kanchipuram 99. Megalithic cist and Cairns Perunagar Kanchipuram 100. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Settupattu Kanchipuram 101. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with stone Sirukalattur Kanchipuram circles in excellent preservation 102. Dolmen intact Uttiramerur Kanchipuram 103. Megalithic cist Cairns with bounding Vadamangalam Kanchipuram stone circles 104. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Venpakkam Kanchipuram 105. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Palayasivaram Kanchipuram 106. Megalithic Cairns with stone circles and Sikkarayapuram Kanchipuram sarcophagi 107. Megalithic Cairns and Cists Tattanur Kanchipuram 108. MegalihicCairns and Cists Vadakkupattu Kanchipuram 109. Cromlechs Kadamalaiputhur Kanchipuram Group of sculptured dolmens in Banagudisholai Nilgiris 110. Banagudi Shola of Jakkanarai, a hamlet (Melkundah) of Kotagiri 111. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Karai Perambalur 112. The dolmens and Cairns Amburapatti Pudukkottai 113. The site locally known as Ammachatram Pudukkottai "Kuranguppattarai" (Prehistoric burial site)Annavasal Pudukkottai The Prehistoric burials, stone circles and 114. menheirs The dolmens in the right flank of 115. Chokkanathanpatti Pudukkottai Chokkanathamkanmoi The dolmens near 9/6 mile on road No. 116. Kilaiyur Pudukkottai 22, Kiranur - Killukottai 117. The Pre-historic burial sites Melur Pudukkottai 118. The dolmens Mootampatti Pudukkottai 119. The old burial sites in the three groups 1. Narangianpatti Pudukkottai Pappankulamwaterspread, Vathanakkurichi Tumbakkulamwaterspread, Vathanakkurichi Tumbakkulamwaterspread, Narangianpatti 120. The dolmens Perungalur Pudukkottai 121. Prehistoric dolmens Peyal Pudukkottai The dolmens and the Ayyanar image Poyyamani and 122. Pudukkottai Virudapatti 123. The prehistoric burials Puttambur Pudukkottai 124. The Prehistoric burial sites Sathiyamangalam Pudukkottai 125. The cairns and urns in Kallukulam Sendakudi Pudukkottai 126. The dolmens and urns Sengalur Pudukkottai 127. The Dolmens in Annavasalvattam Sittannavasal Pudukkottai 128. The Dolmens known as Kurangupattarai Thayinipatti Pudukkottai 129. The prehistoric burials Thekkattur Pudukkottai 130. The Kalasakkadu Burial sites Tirukkattalai Pudukkottai The group of dolmens near 131. Tiruppur Pudukkottai CholiswaraUdayar temple 132. The Prehistoric Burial Sites Vadagupatti Pudukkottai 133. The old burial sites in the three groups Vathanakkurichi Pudukkottai Pappankulamwaterspread, Vathanakkurichi Tumbakkulamwaterspread, Vathanakkurichi Tumbakkulamwaterspread, Narangianpatti 134. The Prehistoric burial sites Vilapatti Pudukkottai 135. Adichanallur Prehistoric Remains Adichanallur Thoothukudi 136. Adichanallur Prehistoric Remains Kalvoi Thoothukudi 137. Adichanallur Prehistoric Remains Karungulam Thoothukudi 138. Ancient Site Kunnathur Tirunelveli Prehistoric sites popularly known as 139. Kanyampundi Tiruppur “Pandava graves” 140. Urn Burials Amirthamangalam Tiruvallur 141. Megalithic Cists Chedalpakkam Tiruvallur 142. Megalithic Cairns and Barrows Neyveli Tiruvallur 143. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Pondavakkam Tiruvallur 144. Megalithic Cairns Bounding with stone Vanamalli Tiruvallur circles 145. Virgin group containing many barrows Attanthangal Tiruvallurexcellently preserved 146. Urn Burials Palavakkam Tiruvallur 147. Megalithic Cists and Cairns with Panchali Tiruvallur Bounding stone circles (Agarambedu Hamlet) 148. Cairns site Sengari Tiruvallur 149. Megalithic Cairns with Bounding stone Siruvadu Tiruvallur circles 150. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Tadipadi Tiruvallur 151. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Nedungal Tiruvannamalai 152. Megalithic Cists Tellur Tiruvannamalai 153. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Tetturai Tiruvannamalai 154. Megalithic Cists and Cairns Venkunnam Tiruvannamalai 155. Site containing megalithic burials Mottur Tiruvannamalai including the monolithic anthromorphic figure erected at the site 156. Urn Burial site Kadagampattu Villupuram 157. Megalithic Cairns with stone circles Sengamedu Villupuram 158. Megalithic stone circles Tiruvakkarai Villupuram *****