A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that although footfall and revenue have increased at Archaeological Survey of India sites, at least six districts in West Bengal and important sites in Sikkim received no maintenance funds for ASI-protected monuments in 2022 and 2023. The RTI activists found that conservation funding for West Bengal’s ASI sites is significantly below pre-pandemic levels, indicating a continued neglect of heritage sites and buildings.
The RTI response, accessed by the Sabar Institute, highlights prolonged gaps in conservation funding in the post-pandemic period, even as public interest and footfall at major sites began to recover.
