JODHPUR, Aug. 7 -- Bringing relief to dozens of families living for generations around the historic Kumbhalgarh Fort, the Rajasthan high court has held that residents cannot be prevented from repairing or expanding their existing homes merely because they are located near a protected archaeological site. At the same time, the court made it clear that no fresh construction on new foundations would be permitted and that the archaeological heritage must remain protected. The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and justice Sanjeet Purohit passed the order on Wednesday, disposing of a PIL filed in 2021 by 60 villagers, led by Vikram Bheel, from village Gawar in Rajsamand. The petitioners alleged the archaeological department and State authorities were preventing them from repairing their houses or constructing additional rooms. Observing that human habitation has long coexisted with Rajasthan's historic forts, the bench said: "Persons who have been residing there for generations and even centuries cannot be ousted merely in the name of protecting archaeological sites." "If separate houses are existing adjacent to or appurtenant to an archaeological site, they need to be given due protection."...