Seven natural heritage sites across India, including the Deccan Traps in Maharashtra, Meghalaya’s cave systems and Kerala’s Varkala cliffs, have been added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, taking the country’s tally on the list to 69.
With the latest additions, India now has 49 cultural, 17 natural and three mixed heritage properties under consideration by the world body, the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
The newly listed sites include the Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, the geological heritage of St Mary’s Island in Karnataka, Meghalayan Age caves, Naga Hill Ophiolite in Nagaland, Erra Matti Dibbalu in Andhra Pradesh, the natural heritage of Tirumala Hills in Andhra Pradesh and the Varkala Cliffs in Kerala.
Inclusion in the tentative list is a prerequisite for nomination to the prestigious World Heritage List.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the nodal agency for the World Heritage Convention in India, compiled and submitted the nominations.
India had also hosted the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi in July 2024, which saw the participation of more than 2,000 delegates from over 140 countries, the ministry said.