March 12, 2026
Sukhendu Sekhar Ray’s supplementary questions on whether the Union government will consider further excavations in Pandua and Devikhote and whether it will consider charging entry fees at some more protected sites
Sir, the ancient twin cities of Gaur and Pandua in West Bengal served as the capital of Pala and Sena empires of Bengal for more than 400 years. The place has been mentioned even in our old scriptures. The Archaeological Survey of India maintains 21 monuments, archaeological sites and remains which are situated in Malda district of West Bengal. In the 1930s, the British Government made an aerial survey in the Pandua or Pandunagar area and decided for vigorous excavation, but it has not materialized so far for one reason or the other. There is a similar situation with the Mounds of Dinajpur district, which is also a 2,400 year old fortified city of Devikot, mentioned in our ancient scriptures. It was first excavated by the Calcutta University in 1938. Now, recently, excavation was resumed by the Government, but for some unknown reasons, it has been stopped. Similar situation is with Chandraketugarh, another ancient site of Bengal, which has relevance with the history of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa. Sir, my first supplementary… Sir, my question to the hon. Minister is whether Government will consider further excavating the ancient sites of Pandua or Pandunagar in Malda district and Mounds of Devikot in Dinajpur in West Bengal. Sir, I would put a pointed question in one line, from his reply. Out of 135 monuments and sites of national importance maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India in West Bengal, entry fees is charged in only four protected monuments and the revenue earned, on an average, per year during the past three years was about four crore rupees. My question is whether the Government will consider charging entry fees for some other sites too, so that maintenance cost is minimized through earnings from entry fee.
