Maharashtra spends Rs 14.5 crore on a petroglyph film—but activists say these 2,000-year-old sites don’t even have roads
3 min readMumbaiApr 17, 2026 07:46 PM IST
The Maharashtra government’s decision to spend Rs 14.50 crore on a documentary on petroglyphs, ancient rock carvings, found in coastal Konkan region has come under scanner of Opposition and social activists. The Opposition has questioned the reason behind spending so much money at a time when state government is facing financial crunch.
The Cultural Affairs department on April 8 issued a government resolution announcing a budget of Rs 14.50 crore to make “an international level documentary” on the petroglyphs. In the Ratnagiri region of Konkan, more than 2,000 petroglyphs have been discovered across an area approximately 300 km long and 25 km wide. Spread across Maharashtra and Goa, these are among the three Indian attractions that have been added to the Tentative List of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Sites in year 2022.
As per the estimate, the director of the documentary will get the remuneration of Rs 2 crore while Rs 3 crore is assigned for four assistant directors.
“At a time when the state government is facing financial crunch as it is unable to pay dues of its contractors, schools are facing fund related issues and the state government is spending money on one documentary. This is nothing but the wasteful use of money,” said Sunil Mane, spokesperson, NCP-SP.
“Documentary is one part, but real important task right now is to protect the petroglyphs. These Petroglyphs tell the history of thousands of years. It is important that people should come to see it, which will eventually lead to its preservation,” said Satyajeet Chavan, Convener, Shashwat Konkan Parishad, a body working for the inclusive and environment-friendly development of the coastal region.
Chavan said that presently there is not even a proper approach road towards these petroglyphs. “The government should think about providing necessary facilities, while crores of rupees are being spent on making documentaries,” he said.
The state government, however, said that open bids will be called for the documentary.
Story continues below this ad
“These petroglyphs will facilitate the gathering of invaluable information regarding prehistoric society and related human culture. It is essential to conduct detailed audio-visual documentation of each petroglyph from various distances and perspectives across all weather conditions,” said a statement issued by the department.
It said that the project will be implemented according to international standards, seeking collaboration with world-class directors or production houses experienced in heritage documentaries. Potential collaborators include BAFTA-nominated director Matthew Hill (known for documentaries on Ajanta Caves, Qutub Complex, and Terracotta Warriors), Dan Clifton (who has documented ancient civilizations across continents for BBC/History Channel/NatGeo through works like Lost Cities of the Ancients and Drain the Oceans), and James Tovell (director of Netflix’s Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb).
“This project will result in a significant archival record of Konkan’s cultural heritage, serving as a vital cultural asset for the Government of Maharashtra,” the statement said.
