THOOTHUKUDI
With Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials recommencing excavation at Adichanallur here, the artefacts would be displayed in an iconic museum to be built at a cost of ₹ 17 crore, said Lok Sabha MP K. Kanimozhi on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at the site, she said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman had earmarked funds in the 2019 Budget for constructing the iconic museum, which would be one among the five in the country.
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The museum would have all the artefacts and would certainly be a major tourist attraction in the district, she said, adding the State government would extend all possible assistance to ASI authorities.
Thanking the ASI for recommencing excavation, which was being done after 17 years, Ms. Kanimozhi said the artefacts, which were excavated from Adichanallur since 1876, would be brought back here.
Officials said the artefacts were in Berlin, the UK and Chennai. “All of them would be brought back here and displayed in the iconic museum,” they added.
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The officials further said for the time being, the artefacts would be displayed at an onsite museum, where inscription stones would also be preserved. Surveys would be expedited and with the aid of new technology, preservation would be carried out.
The iconic museum, they said, would give a different feel to the visitors as they could walk on a toughened glass over the excavation site and see the artefacts. The construction would have innovations and technology adapted to them.
Earlier, Collector K. Senthil Raj, ASI (Tiruchi) Superintendent P. Arun Raj and MLA Urvasi S. Amritaraj participated in a brief ceremony to mark the restart of the excavation.