Monuments and forts of the Deccan Sultanate in the districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi and Vijayapura are inching closer towards getting the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage tag.

The cluster of monuments are already in the list of tentative sites for recognition (2014) by the Unesco World Heritage Committee and may end up in the 2019 World Heritage List.

Only three other places in Karnataka enjoy the famed World Heritage Tag. While the group of monuments at Hampi and Pattadakal were inscribed in the list (under Culture category) in  1986 and 1987, respectively, the Western Ghats were inscribed (under Natural category) in 2012.

Karnataka has not been dogged enough in its persuasion of getting the tag, despite being an ideal destination for heritage tourism, but has finally made some progress.

The state government is on the verge of submitting the final proposal to the Ministry of Culture seeking the inclusion of the monuments in the list.

Speaking to DH, T Venkatesh, Commissioner, Department of Archeology, Museums and Heritage, said the final dossier of the monuments would be submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) by end of August.

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