ASI currently undertaking 16 excavations; Rakhigarhi project costliest at Rs 2 crore
Culture Minister tells Lok Sabha Haryana's Harappan-era site is the costliest ongoing excavation, while ASI continues projects across seven other states
The Archaeological Survey of India is currently running 16 excavation projects across the country, with the Rakhigarhi project in Hisar district of Haryana incurring the maximum expenditure of Rs 2.16 crore, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat told the Lok Sabha.
Rakhigarhi is an iconic Harappan-era archaeological site and village in Narnaund Tehsil in Haryana, located about 170 km northwest of Delhi. Dating back to around 6,000 BCE, it is recognized as both the oldest and the largest known settlement of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization
The archaeological site features seven major archaeological mounds (spanning over 350 hectares). The modern village is built directly on three of them. Archaeologists have also uncovered a highly planned township, granaries, a fortified wall, street networks, and a sophisticated drainage system. Notable discoveries also include 56 structural skeletons, terracotta toys, inscribed steatite seals, and a copper mirror.
"The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) carried out 25 projects in 2025, 22 projects in 2024, 19 projects in 2023, 31 projects in 2022, and 24 projects in 2021. These projects primarily include excavation of structural remains, burials, pottery and antiquities such as coins, beads, ornaments, agricultural tools, and bone objects," the minister told the House.
Shekhawat also said that ASI is working on 16 excavation projects across the country.
"The ongoing project at Rakhigarhi in Haryana has incurred the cost of
Rs 2,16,25,300 till date. The Government of Haryana is establishing an on-site Interpretation Centre and Site Museum to house the excavated artifacts and promote heritage tourism. The proposed site is roughly 12 km from the town of Narnaund and accessible by road via the Hisar-Delhi route," he said.
Apart from Rakhigarhi, the Centre is also undertaking excavations at Bhavnagar and Dwarka regions in Gujarat, Brahmagiri in Karnataka, Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh, Janampet in Telangana, Madhubani in Bihar, and Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu.
The culture minister also said that there is no court order regarding the continuation or closure of any archaeological projects during the last five years.
