Sinhagad Fort | Rockfall Raises Safety Concerns at Pune’s Sinhagad Fort
Sinhagad Fort | Pune recently experienced a significant rockfall incident near the Pune Darwaja of the historic Sinhagad Fort on Tuesday night. The incident occurred amidst heavy rainfall in the vicinity, raising concerns about the safety of the popular tourist site. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but the event has prompted authorities to assess the fort’s stability.
The rockfall took place on the pathway leading to the main gate of the fort, where local vendors usually serve refreshments. Amol Padher, former deputy sarpanch of Sinhagad Chera, revealed that some of the vendors’ utensils were damaged during the incident.
Padher mentioned that the fort had been continuously subjected to rain since Tuesday. “A portion of the boulders also fell on the road leading to the fort,” he stated, “but it did not disrupt the flow of traffic.”
In response to the incident, Pradip Sankpal, Pune’s range forest officer, deployed a team to clear the debris. “Although it was not a major collapse, we remain vigilant and will take necessary precautions,” assured Sankpal. Despite the recent rockfall, the fort remains open to the public.
Sankpal highlighted that the forest department had provided Rs 1 million to the state public works department (PWD) to install safety netting to secure loose stones. Regrettably, the work could not be completed before the onset of the monsoon season. Sankpal advised visitors to exercise caution around unstable areas and cliff edges.
In response to the increasing popularity of Sinhagad Fort among tourists, the forest department plans to enhance security measures. A senior official expressed concerns about continuous erosion caused by the rising vehicular traffic, which has affected the stability of loose boulders on the approach road and parking areas.
Atul Chavan, superintendent of the Pune division of the PWD, confirmed that safety netting had been installed at six points in the fort’s ghat area. However, additional safety precautions have been delayed due to fragmented rocks and unstable terrain on a 3km stretch leading to the fort. Nakul Ransingh, deputy engineer of PWD, Haveli, explained that they are awaiting permission from the forest department to conduct benching work on this precarious stretch. A decision will be made after the executive engineer inspects the location.
Visitors are advised to exercise caution and adhere to official recommendations when visiting Sinhagad Fort, particularly during the monsoon season.
Electric Vehicles In Pune | Pune Witnesses Strong Sales of 50,000 Electric Vehicles
Comments are closed.