Decision 45 COM 7B.158

Hill Forts of Rajasthan (India) (C 247rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.24 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Notes the updated information concerning the planned and ongoing conservation projects at Chittorgarh Fort and Jaisalmer Fort;
4. Welcomes the State Party’s advice regarding the formal inclusion of the Site Management Plan (SMP) for Jaisalmer Fort within the legal frameworks for the protection and management of the property, the progress made toward the establishment of the Jaisalmer Fort Management Authority, and the preparation of annual conservation plans along with a five-year plan for Jaisalmer Fort, and requests the State Party submit the next Annual Conservation Plan as well as the five-year plan for Jaisalmer Fort to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
5. Requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with information on the implementation of the planned actions for Jaisalmer Fort at its earliest convenience or whenever such information becomes available, and in particular concerning:
   1. The finalisation of the establishment of the Jaisalmer Fort Management Authority, and details about its legal and operational purview and its priority activities,
   2. The establishment of the SMP for Jaisalmer Fort under the Town and Country Planning Act, and continuing efforts to clarify the ownership of buildings within the property,
   3. The development of a sub-plan for visitor management for Jaisalmer Fort, which should be a high-priority activity as an essential part of the property’s management system,
   4. The development of the sub-plan for risk preparedness for Jaisalmer Fort,
   5. The development of the sub-plan for livelihood generation for the local population, taking into account the need for capacity building,
   6. Further development of the comprehensive Conservation Plan, taking into account the Technical Review and feedback to be provided by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies following the submission of the Annual Conservation Plan and the five-year Plan for Jaisalmer Fort,
   7. The development of detailed and action-oriented monitoring of the condition of the World Heritage property, based on a clear articulation of its Outstanding Universal Value and attributes;
6. Welcomes the State Party’s commitment to conduct Heritage Impact Assessments for all development projects within the serial property and its buffer zones, including conservation and restoration projects, new visitor facilities and adaptive reuse projects, and encourages the State Party to carry out these activities in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context and to request dedicated training on this revised methodology from the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, if needed;
7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session.