Hampi:The Centre has drawn up an ambitious Rs 38-crore plan to conserve and restore some of the most important monuments in Hampi, the historic capital of the Vijayanagara Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The initiative will cover several structures dating back to the 14th to 16th centuries, including the Jain temples on Hemakuta Hill and the Saraswati temple complex at Singanayakanahalli.

The project is being taken up under the National Culture Fund of the Union Ministry of Culture, with financial support mobilised through Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) corporate social responsibility funds and the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). Of the total allocation of Rs 38 crore, around Rs 19 crore is expected to come through MPLADS. The funding will support a comprehensive conservation programme aimed at protecting the monuments and restoring damaged structures. The Ministry will appoint a heritage conservation architect to prepare a detailed project report. The architect will assess the present condition of the monuments, identify conservation requirements and prepare technical documentation before restoration work is taken up in phases.The proposed works include comprehensive protection of the northern and southern bazaars adjoining the Virupaksha Temple. The western portion of a collapsed mandapa near the Sri Bhashyakara shrine in the Vittala Temple complex will also be reconstructed. The Jain temples on Hemakuta Hill and the Saraswati temple complex at Singanayakanahalli are among the other structures identified for renovation.