Maharashtra government moves to safeguard ancient forts from encroachment  

Preserving Maharashtra's cultural heritage: Mahayuti government forms district-level committees to safeguard ancient forts from encroachment.

In a significant step towards preserving Maharashtra’s rich cultural heritage, the Mahayuti government on Saturday (January 18, 2025) announced formation of district-level committees to safeguard ancient forts in the State from encroachment. Making the announcement, State Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said that the formation of the committees will not only remove existing encroachments, but will also work towards preventing further encroachments on the forts across the State. 

“Maharashtra is home to 47 centrally-protected forts, under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and 62 State-protected forts, managed by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. These forts are a vital part of the State’s cultural legacy and require robust measures to ensure their conservation and preservation and to prevent encroachments on these forts,” the Minister said, expressing concerns over reports of encroachments on both protected and the unprotected forts.

There are serious concerns about structural integrity, historical significance, and law and order at these sites. Under the directives of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, district-level committee will be established to address these issues and uphold law and order at these historic sites, Mr. Shelar said. 

The district-level committee under the chairmanship of district collector will include Commissioner of Police, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer, District Superintendent of Police, Municipal Commissioner, Chief Officers of Municipal Councils, Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats, Concerned Deputy Conservator of Forests, Concerned Superintendent of Archaeology, Assistant Director of Archaeology (Maharashtra Directorate of State Archaeology and Museums), Regional Port Authority Maharashtra Maritime Board, and Resident deputy collector. 

The committee should review and prepare a detailed fort-wise list of encroachments and submit the same to the government by January 31, Mr. Shelar said. From February 1 to May 31, the task of removing encroachments must be undertaken in a time-bound manner and the regular progress reports must be submitted to the government from time to time, he added.

After the removal of encroachments, the committee must implement measures to ensure that no future encroachments take place on these forts. To maintain accountability and transparency, the committee must hold monthly meetings to review progress and submit its report to the government, the Minister added.