Chandigarh, May 19 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday inaugurated three development projects of Rs 20 crore at the Museum and Interpretation Centre in Rakhigarhi, a historic site of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

The projects include a rest house, a hostel, and a cafeteria. Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, state Tourism Minister Arvind Sharma and Public Works and Public Health Engineering Minister Gangwa were present, among other dignitaries.

The Chief Minister and the Union Minister also unveiled a booklet prepared on the iconic site of Rakhigarhi on this occasion.

The Chief Minister said the newly developed rest house, cafeteria, and hostel will provide excellent facilities for tourists and students visiting from across the country and abroad. The 17-room rest house is equipped with modern amenities. The hostel comprises 13 dormitories for student accommodation, along with a dining hall facility.

Chief Minister Saini and Union Minister Shekhawat also visited the exhibition organised by the Department of Archaeology and Museums. The exhibition displayed various Harappan-era artefacts discovered during excavations, including children’s toys, terracotta cartwheels, lamps, terracotta beads, necklaces, and other objects.

After the event, the Chief Minister and the Union Minister held a meeting to review the development plan for Rakhigarhi as a tourism centre. Directions were issued to the departments concerned to expedite the construction work of the Rakhigarhi Museum and Interpretation Centre.

The Chief Minister and the Union Minister further directed that sheds be built at archaeological sites so that excavation work can continue throughout the year. They emphasised the importance of integrating the museum with the archaeological sites and preparing a detailed plan for lighting, parking, and other tourist facilities.

Union Minister Shekhawat told the media that excavations in Rakhigarhi since the 1960s have provided concrete evidence that a highly developed human civilisation existed here around 8,000 years ago. The discoveries made during the excavations strongly prove that India’s civilisation is the oldest in the world.

He expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the Haryana government in developing Rakhigarhi into a major tourism and research hub for archaeologists and historians. The Union Minister also praised the quality and planning of the work undertaken by the state. He further said that another significant archaeological site in Hisar’s Agroha is currently undergoing excavation.

On the occasion, there was an in-depth discussion on integrating such sites to establish a comprehensive centre for the Indus-Saraswati civilisation.

–IANS

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