Research and Exploration activities are currently underway at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka (Gujarat), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu) and Karaikal (Puducherry) by the Underwater Archaeology Wing of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

 Further, the Government of India has granted license for underwater excavation/ exploration to the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology at Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu) and to the Marine Archaeology Centre, National Institute of Oceanography at Bet Dwarka and Chhari and Gangata Bet (Gujarat).

 

 The details of the budget allocated to the Underwater Archaeology Wing of the Archaeological Survey of India is as under:

 

Year	Allocationtill date(in Rs.)	Expenditure till date(in Rs.)
2025-26	75,40,000/-	74,91,064/-
2026-27	66,50,000/-	25,63,894/-

           

Besides, Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology has earmarked Rs.7crores for archaeological excavations on land as well as underwater.

 

The National Institute of Oceanography has budgetary allocation of Rs.20 lacs.

 

The Underwater Archaeology Wing of the Archaeological Survey of India has initiated a focused programme for training archaeologists and conducting surveys of submerged sites.

 

The following sites have been identified for underwater exploration/excavation up to 2030:

 

Dwarka and Bet Dwarka (Gujrat)

Vijay Durg (Maharashtra)

Janjira (Maharashtra)

Karaikal (Puducherry)

Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu)

 

 This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra    Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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 M Annadurai

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