Pune: Regulated Vehicle Movement at Sinhagad Fort to Tackle Monsoon Rush
Regulated vehicle movement will be implemented at Sinhagad Fort
The heavy influx of tourists at Sinhagad Fort since the onset of the monsoon has prompted forest authorities to regulate vehicle movement on the ghat section. Last Sunday, the congestion was so severe that vehicles were stopped five times throughout the day to prevent accidents on the narrow road.
To address this issue, the Sinhagad Fort forest authorities will implement a timebound release of vehicles from both sides of the ghat section starting this weekend. According to Pradip Sankpal, Range Forest Officer, Pune Forest, “Last weekend, there was a heavy rush of tourists at Sinhagad Fort, causing major congestion on the ghat section road. We had to halt vehicles five times on Sunday. To prevent such scenarios, we will now release vehicles in a phased manner.”
As per the new plan, vehicles from the base of the fort will be allowed to travel to the top for one hour, during which no vehicles from the top will be permitted to descend. In the following hour, vehicles from the top will be allowed to descend, with no vehicles from the bottom being permitted to ascend.
The forest authorities have experienced large increase in visitors since the start of the rainy season, with many Punekars, students, and tourists flocking to the fort, especially on weekends.
A frequent visitor, shared his frustration, “We often go to Sinhagad Fort for trekking with family. But for the past year, we’ve avoided weekends due to the heavy rush and traffic jams.” Similarly, another visitor recounted his experience of being stuck in traffic for over two hours last weekend, pointing to the risks posed by the crowded and narrow ghat section.
In response to these challenges, the Forest Department has instructed the Ghera Sinhagad Forest Management Committee to implement a phased traffic release to mitigate congestion. The last three kilometers of the ghat were closed for over four hours on Sunday due to traffic, exacerbated by a holiday on Monday which drew more crowds.
Previously, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) had introduced an electric bus service to the fort, which was halted due to safety concerns. Between May 2 and May 16, 2022, 47,000 passengers used the e-buses, generating ₹22 lakh in revenue. However, from May 17, 2022, the service was discontinued, allowing private vehicles to climb to the fort.
The Forest Department aims to maximize tourist visits while ensuring smooth traffic flow. A timetable will be established, and vehicles will be managed at checkpoints such as Kondhanpur Naka. This new system will be enforced from Saturday, with strict orders for implementation at the Forest Management Committee level.
