Prioritise Conservation of Historic Stepwells, Launch Encroachment Removal Drive: Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar

Meeting of Stepwell Conservation Committee Held

Mumbai, May 2026: Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar has directed the Archaeology Department to prioritise the preservation and conservation of historic stepwells (Baravs) across the state and prepare a concrete action plan for their protection. He also instructed officials to plan a special campaign through district collectors to remove encroachments around stepwell sites.

The directions were issued during a meeting of the Stepwell Conservation Committee constituted by the state government, which was chaired by Minister Shelar.

The meeting was attended by Cultural Affairs Department Secretary Dr. Kiran Kulkarni, Archaeology Department Director Dr. Tejas Garge, and representatives of the Barav Bachav Abhiyan including Rohan Kale, researchers Dr. Parag Sadgir, Dr. Chandrakant Ragit, Subhash Shinde, Srinivas Vadgabalakar, Shrikant Umrikar, Pramod Kulkarni, Saurabh Jamkar, Arvind Kadbe, Adv. Dhaygude, Bhagwat Masne, and others.

Detailed discussions were held regarding the challenges faced in stepwell conservation work, necessary corrective measures, and coordination between the government and local administration. Committee members also presented various suggestions during the meeting.

Minister Shelar instructed officials to issue a circular defining a clear operational framework for stepwell conservation. He emphasised the need for active participation of committee members, coordination with district collectors, adherence to archaeological conservation standards in works undertaken through district planning funds, and preparation of a regular schedule for committee meetings.

He further directed that special workshops and training camps should be organised for organisations, researchers, students, and voluntary groups working in the field of stepwell conservation. He also suggested seeking assistance from experienced institutions in the training sector for capacity-building initiatives.

Minister Shelar additionally stated that the state government is making efforts to secure financial assistance for stepwell conservation through funds expected from the World Bank via the state government’s “Mitra” institution.