Pune: Sinhagad Fort Encroachment Removal Begins, Fort Closed for Safety

Sinhagad, 29th May 2025: The Maharashtra Government has launched a major drive to remove encroachments from all state forts by 31st May, with Sinhagad Fort near Pune becoming the latest focus. Early Thursday morning, authorities began clearing illegal structures from the historic Sinhagad Fort, following strict instructions from the state administration. In preparation for the operation, the Forest Department completely closed access roads, including the Atkarwadi route and Kalyan footpath, to ensure security and prevent public interference.

Prior to this, Pune district officials had already declared all other district forts free of encroachments, except for Sinhagad. A district-level committee, chaired by the Pune District Collector, was formed specifically for this purpose. On Sinhagad, both government and private properties had been affected by encroachments. Locals had set up food stalls, toy shops, lemonade stands, and buttermilk counters on government land. While a large-scale action was previously taken on 19th November 2022, some vendors had returned with temporary permission from the Maharashtra Forest Department.

Private property owners who had also encroached upon fort land, building hotels and houses, were scrutinized, with officials verifying ownership documents before the current operation. The Forest Department maintained strict secrecy ahead of the move to avoid any obstruction.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall has raised concerns about landslides, prompting the weather department to issue a warning. For public safety and in view of a scheduled government disaster management inspection on thursday, Sinhagad Fort has been closed to all visitors. Entry via Kalyan Gate, Atkarwadi, and all footpaths is now prohibited, as announced by the Deputy Forest Conservator, Pune Forest Division.

The state government has identified encroachments on both centrally and state-protected forts, as well as nearly 300 unprotected ones, threatening law and order and damaging architectural beauty. On the instructions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, committees led by District Collectors have been formed to oversee the removal of encroachments. These committees include the CEO of the Zilla Parishad, Superintendent of Police, relevant Deputy Forest Conservators, archaeology experts from the Archaeological Survey of India and the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in Maharashtra, and the Resident Deputy Collector.