An earth mover pushes aside huge stones of the fort on the road leading to the Kamalapur Fort.
DH photo
In Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, even the movement of a single stone is subject to strict scrutiny. But the ongoing road work near the historic Kamalapur Fort, being carried out in the absence of officials, has raised suspicion of reckless execution.
When travelling from Kamalapura towards Hampi, there is a road branching left from the Anjaneya Swami temple beside the fort. This road runs right over the fort itself, flanked by lush green banana plantations on either side. Stretching for about four kilometres, it connects near the Akka-Tangi’s stone with the road built under the Namma Grama Namma Raste Yojana (NGNRY). Under the Kalyana Patha project, development work on this fort road has begun, creating concern among history-conscious citizens.
“This is a historic fort, where local farmers commute. They never even asked for road development here. As soon as the project began, we could see huge stones of the fort being indiscriminately pushed aside with an excavator. Shouldn’t such work be carried out only in the presence of state archaeology officials? If the grandeur of history is damaged, who will be held responsible?” questioned K N Lokesh, a member of the Manaviya Sahaya Samste.
“This fort was built during the Vijayanagara period to repel enemy invasions and to withstand floods. If asphalt is laid on this road as part of development, heavy vehicles will start moving over it, and that will certainly harm the fort. Authorities should immediately wake up and take action,” urged Srinivas, president of Manaviya Sahaya Samste.
There are strong suspicions that the conditions specified in the clearance letter issued by the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA) are being blatantly violated. Attempts to contact officials of HWHAMA and the State Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage were unsuccessful.
No value for conditions?
Before the road work, a clearance letter had been obtained from the HWHAMA. A condition was laid down that the project should be executed under the supervision of officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as well as the State Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage. But locals allege that this condition is not being followed.
“These kinds of modern works should be stopped; history should be preserved. Otherwise, in the coming days, we will be forced to launch an agitation,” warned members of the Manaviya Sahaya Samste.