MADURAI: The State Archaeology Department informed the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that the restoration work of Marudhupandiyar Fort at Aranmanai Siruvayal village in Sivaganga is likely to be completed next month.
The statement was made before a Bench of justices M Sathyanarayanan and P Rajamanickam on Wednesday, which was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one SP D Karuppiah in 2017, seeking restoration of the said fort and the Sankarapathi Fort in the district.
The Marudhupandiyar Fort was declared a protected monument in 1991, under the Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1966. The conservation and restoration work, which began on October last year at a cost of Rs 54.68 lakh. The said works would be completed next month, said the Archaeological department
Sankarapathi Fort
A counsel appearing for the State Forest Department submitted that since the Sankarapathi Fort was situated in reserve forest area, no restoration works could be undertaken on the fort without the permission of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Noting the same, the judges directed the litigant's counsel to implead the ministry and issue notice to it, returnable in three weeks.
