Group of Monuments at Hampi

• Lack of an operational site management plan (issue resolved)
• Remains of a collapsed bridge (issue resolved)
• Effects arising from the use of transportation infrastructure (Lack of traffic regulations limiting heavy duty vehicular traffic)
• Ground transport infrastructure (Construction project for two cable-suspended bridges in the property; Construction project for the road widening near the ancient Kamalapur tank; Proposed bypass to divert heavy traffic from the property)
• Commercial development (Demolition works in the Hampi bazaar near Virupaksha temple)
• Water (extraction) (Irrigation for water intensive agriculture)
• Housing

Total amount granted: 25,000 EUR under the France-UNESCO Co-operation Agreement for expert missions (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011).

On 12 December 2016, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/241/documents. The report presents progress on a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions, as follows:

• The report outlines progress with the implementation of the Actions Plans of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the property and its buffer zone since January 2016. It also states that work is being initiated by the respective government departments to update Sectoral Plans (which underpin the IMP) in a time-bound manner;
• A thorough management plan was developed for the Thungabhadra Otter Conservation reserve and the Daroji Bear Sanctuary. Such plans are intended to regulate any form of intrusive development or large-scale infrastructure projects that may have a negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of these eco-sensitive areas. The report stated that the State Government of Karnataka has declared the Thungabhadra Otter Conservation Reserve (located partly in the property and buffer zone) as an area of ecological importance;
• Visual material has been provided on the Conservation Strategy for the Virupaksha Bazaar, in line with the abovementioned IMP, together with a concisely-written plan for the conservation of the bazaar in 2012-2015, including a map showing the locations of trial excavation pits at the bazaar;
• With reference to the proposed Bypass Road to divert heavy traffic from the property, the State Party reports that its present alignment respects amongst others the restrictions imposed by the Forest Protection Act of 1972, and that it is located in the fringes of the buffer zone. A detailed visualization of the circulation plan was provided;
• A thorough explanation of major and minor conservation works performed between 2010 and 2016 has been provided, along with a comprehensive set of maps for each monument. These show progress with the conservation of a number of monuments, including the Virupaksha Bazaar area, the Pushkarani temple, and monuments in the buffer zone;
• Security: To protect cultural heritage from vandalism, a Hampi Protection Force has been established to patrol the property and its buffer zone.

On 12 September 2016, the World Heritage Centre has addressed a letter to the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO concerning the issue of road widening in the Kamalapur tank area, an activity that may negatively impact the OUV of the property. At the time of drafting this report, the State Party had not yet provided information or comments.

The progress achieved by the State Party, as identified in the abovementioned state of conservation report, is welcomed, especially with regard to progress achieved with the implementation of the Integrated Management Plan and its Action Plans, the commitment to update Sectoral Plans, the strengthened protection of the property through the designation of areas of ecological importance, the Conservation Plan for the Virupaksha Bazaar, and the Circulation Plan and bypass road to divert traffic away from the property. It is also noted that the State Party made a commitment to protect the property and its buffer zone through the establishment of a special patrol.

However, the widening of a road in the Kamalapur tank area remains a source of concern, as it may have a negative impact the OUV of the property. It is therefore recommended that the World Heritage Committee urge the State Party to provide detailed information on this matter for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decision that would be difficult to reverse.