In 1963-64, the rising backwaters of Bhakra-Nangal Dam constructed on Sutlej river submerged the old town of Bilaspur, including 30 temples. Of these, some dozen temples built between the 10th and 16th centuries, considered to be of great archaeological importance, will be reclaimed by the State government.
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Last year, the Himachal Pradesh government sent a proposal worth ₹1,500 crore titled ‘Restoring Submerged Temples of Bilaspur’ to the Centre. The project aims to promote religious and heritage tourism in Bilaspur.
These structures would be lifted onto an artificially created island so that they can be saved from submergence in the future. Bilaspur happens to be the hometown of the BJP’s president J.P. Nadda.