The Uttar Pradesh government has added 39 sites, from settlement mounds dating to 1,000 BC and Kushan-era remains to colonial buildings, to its list of state-protected monuments. The Archaeological Advisory Committee approved the inclusion in a recent review meeting. Officials emphasized developing a 'Kushan trail' across the state.
The Uttar Pradesh government has expanded its conservation efforts by adding 39 sites to the list of state-protected monuments. These range from settlement mounds around 1,000 BC (3,000 years old) and Kushan period remains to 18th- and 19th-century temples and colonial buildings.
Officials stated the decision, taken in a recent review meeting, forms part of a plan to raise the number of state-protected monuments from 278 to 300 by 2027. It shifts from a tourism model focused on Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Agra toward a distributed heritage network including lesser-known district clusters. A special emphasis is on developing a 'Kushan trail' to connect sites linked to trade networks and urban growth in centres like Mathura during the 1st to 3rd century CE.
Kushan-linked sites include Parewajal mound in Sitapur (over 4.8 hectares), Mahepasi and Mohan mounds in Unnao, with pottery fragments, terracotta artefacts, and habitation layers dating 2,500 to 3,000 years. Others are Kiratpur Kheda mound in Mainpuri and mounds in the Agra archaeology cluster.
"Several newly identified sites in Sitapur, Unnao and adjoining regions have visible indicators from the Kushan period. Sites like Sitapur’s Parewajal mound and Unnao’s Mahepasi mound suggest they were not isolated habitations but a part of a wider historical landscape linked to ancient trade routes and urban centres," said Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs) Amrit Abhijat.
The list also covers Shiva temples in Sitapur, Hardoi, Kanpur, and others; Shri Gangakund water structure in Rae Bareli; Musa Bagh in Lucknow tied to 1857 events; and sites like Raja Nal Ka Teela in Sonbhadra. The committee discussed interpretation centres, libraries, and visitor amenities.