10 monuments adopted under the ‘Adopt A Heritage’ project
The ‘Adopt A Heritage – Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’, scheme launched on 27th September, 2017 is a collaborative effort by Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), State/UTs Governments. The programme envisages development and maintenance of tourist amenities at heritage sites and making them tourist friendly, to enhance tourism potential and cultural importance in a planned and phased manner. The project primarily focuses on providing basic amenities that include cleanliness, public conveniences, safe drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signages, illumination, Wi-fi etc.
The Project envisages involvement of Private/Public Companies / Organizations and Individuals to adopt Monuments, Natural Heritage Sites and other Tourist Sites in the country, primarily under CSR.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed specifies installation of one signage at the monument indicating that monument has been adopted by respective organization.
Providing basic amenities (e.g. drinking water, toilet blocks, facilities for physically challenged, pathways, cultural notice boards, vehicle parking, cloak rooms, etc.) to tourists visiting centrally protected monuments and sites are the regular activities which the Archaeological Survey of India undertakes.
Improvement and up-gradation of these public facilities is a continuous process. Basic public facilities are available at all World Heritage Sites and ASI’s ticketed monuments, as also at majority of those protected monuments that are visited by a large numbers of tourists. Further, Archaeological Survey of India has identified 100 monuments as “Adarsh Smarak” for upgradation of existing amenities like Wi-Fi, cafeteria, interpretation center, Braille signage, modern toilets etc. on the basis of actual requirement and feasibility on case to case basis.
Monuments adopted by the different public and private undertakings are – Mount Stok Kangri Trek Route in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Gangotri Temple Area & Trail to Gaumukh, Uttarakhand by Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI); Red Fort, Delhi and Gandikota Fort, Andhra Pradesh by Dalmia Bharat Limited; Qutb Minar, Delhi, Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra, Leh Palace, Jammu & Kashmir and Hazara Rama Temple, Hampi, Karnataka by Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd.