The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has granted permission to the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) to carry out excavations at eight sites across the state, including the next phase of digs at Keeladi, after a delay of several months.
The approval, issued on March 13 by the ASI’s Exploration and Excavation Section under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959, follows recommendations by an expert committee. Excavations will be conducted at Keeladi and nearby clusters in Sivaganga district, along with sites in Pattinamarudhur (Thoothukudi), Karivalamvanthanallur (Tenkasi), Manikollai (Cuddalore), Adichanur (Villupuram), Vellalore (Coimbatore), Telunganur-Mangadu (Salem), and Nagapattinam.
Tamil Nadu had first sought permission in July 2025 after the sites were announced in the state Budget for 2025–26 by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu. With the excavation season in the state limited by the monsoon, officials had repeatedly urged the Union government to clear the proposals. Chief Minister MK Stalin had also flagged the delay, noting that fieldwork would be affected if approvals were not granted in time.
“Relentless pressure. Repeated letters. And finally, approval. After months of delay, the Union Government has cleared archaeological excavations at 8 sites including Keeladi. This is a win earned through DMK’s persistent efforts. But we are not done. The Union BJP Government is still sitting on the Keeladi excavation report. We will not stop until that too is out,” Stalin said in a social media post.
Officials said work is expected to begin soon, with the excavation window typically running only until the onset of monsoon later in the year. The latest approvals will allow the state archaeology department to conduct excavations at 13 sites in total this year, the highest in a single year in over six decades.
The sites span different historical periods and are expected to shed light on early Tamil civilisation, including Iron Age settlements, Sangam-era industrial activity, and maritime trade links. At Keeladi, one of Tamil Nadu’s most significant archaeological sites, earlier findings have pointed to an urban settlement dating back to around 580 BCE, with evidence of craft activity such as dyeing and bead-making.
Separately, the ASI had earlier granted permission in September 2025 for underwater archaeological surveys off the coast of Poompuhar, the ancient port city known as Kaveripoompattinam. The TNSDA has since been conducting surveys in the region as part of efforts to understand Tamil Nadu’s ancient maritime history.