The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Maharashtra): The world-renowned Ellora Caves, along with other historic monuments in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, are facing a severe water shortage and are now relying on tankers for their water supply. This situation has arisen due to significantly less rainfall during the last monsoon season, officials reported.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar received only 527.10 mm of rainfall last monsoon, compared to an average of 637.50 mm, resulting in dried-up water sources at several key sites. The Ellora Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with Bibi Ka Maqbara and the Aurangabad Caves, are among the affected monuments that attract numerous tourists annually.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), responsible for these monuments, has been compelled to depend on water tankers to meet their needs. An ASI official mentioned, “The Ellora Caves complex requires two water tankers daily for drinking, gardening, and washing purposes.”
Similarly, the Bibi Ka Maqbara requires at least two 5,000-liter tankers daily, with an additional tanker needed occasionally due to high tourist footfall. The Aurangabad Caves, where water sources dried up last November, receive one tanker every alternate day.
To ensure a continuous supply of clean water for visitors, a separate tank connected to a purification system has been installed at Bibi Ka Maqbara. The official added, “We fill up the tank and use its water for visitors.”