UP CM writes to PM seeking transfer of Bundelkhand forts from ASI's protection to state govt

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting that the Bundelkhand forts that are under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) be transferred to the state government for development, a statement said.

Adityanath has requested the prime minister to transfer the Talbehat fort (Lalitpur), Kalinjar fort (Banda), Madfa (Chitrakoot) and Barua Sagar Ghat steps (Jhansi) to the state government under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, according to the statement.

The statement quoted the state's Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh saying that in his letter to Modi, Adityanath has detailed the Bundelkhand sites that are important from a tourism perspective.

Singh said the region has witnessed human activity since the Stone Age. Over time, the Gupta and Chandela kings constructed numerous temples and forts here.

The chief minister also mentioned in the letter that the Bundelkhand region, which is full of tales of valour, has made invaluable contributions to the development of India's culture and civilisation, and is a highly-prosperous region from the educational, cultural, natural, spiritual and religious point of view.

However, due to certain reasons, the region remained neglected until 2014, Adityanath said in his letter to the prime minister.