Chandigarh, Oct 22 (PTI) Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Thursday that Haryana is home to numerous historical sites reflecting its glorious past, and to familiarise people with its rich heritage, the state should develop a new corridor connecting these sites.
Future generations can learn about the stories of brave heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation, he said.
The chief minister issued these directions while chairing a review meeting to assess the Archaeology and Museums Department’s five-year action plan under Haryana Vision 2047.
He issued comprehensive directions to improve the Tourism Department’s functioning and develop Haryana into a tourism hub, an official statement said.
Saini said stories of the struggle waged for India’s Independence are scattered across every corner of the state. The First War of Independence in 1857 began from Ambala Cantonment. To raise public awareness, the government built a grand ‘Shaheed Smarak’ in Ambala Cantonment, he said.
The memorial depicts all the locations associated with the freedom struggle, which still exist in Ambala and other districts. He said these sites need not only to be preserved but also developed in an integrated manner to create a new corridor that enables the public to learn about Haryana’s history. He directed the officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan in this regard.
Amit Kumar Agrawal, commissioner and secretary of the Archaeology and Museums Department, presented details of the department’s five-year action plan under the Vision 2047 framework. He said the plan aims to preserve the state’s ancient civilisation, historical treasures and cultural heritage while promoting tourism.
Agrawal said the objective was to explore, preserve and promote Haryana’s old heritage and develop the state into a leading centre for cultural tourism. The plan places special emphasis on scientific excavations at archaeological sites, documenting historical heritage, conserving and restoring monuments, modernising museums, and increasing public participation.
Between 1972 and 2025, the department conducted archaeological excavations at nine sites in the state. The department plans to excavate 21 new sites in the coming years.
In the first phase, excavations are planned at Siswal in Hisar district during 2026-27. This will be followed by two excavation phases at Kharar Alipur. During 2029-31, the team will select sites from Balu, Jogna Khera, Tigadana and Rakhigarhi based on archaeological priorities. Saini directed that the number of protected monuments in the state increase from the current 72 to more than 120 by 2031.
He called for identifying, documenting, and scientifically conserving historical forts, ancient stepwells, temples, and havelis.
He also pointed out that inscriptions in a language dating back to the Mahabharata era are present inside a temple at Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra and stressed the need to preserve them. The chief minister directed officials to ensure that the temple’s original structure remains untouched. Saini also instructed them to preserve bridges and historic buildings constructed during British rule.
Agrawal informed the meeting that the department plans to renovate six museums: Panipat Museum, Jahaj Kothi Museum in Hisar, Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram Museum in Garhi Sampla, Jayanti Devi Museum in Jind, Bhima Devi Temple Museum in Pinjore, and the Guru Gobind Singh Martial Arts Museum at Kapal Mochan.
Saini said Rakhigarhi should be developed as a major archaeological and tourism destination, and that work should also begin on a Saraswati-Indus Heritage Corridor.
The proposed corridor will connect prominent sites, including Rakhigarhi, Bharadana, Tigadana, Banawali, Kunal, Balu, Bhagwanpura and Kharar Alipur. The heritage of Kurukshetra, Agroha, Thanesar, Pinjore, and other historical sites will also be highlighted. PTI SUN ASD
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