The famous Rajgad Fort in Pune – that was the capital of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for nearly a quarter of a century – is set to get a ropeway soon.
Besides, the Shri Ekvira Devi Temple at Karla near the hill station of Lonavala in Pune district will get either a funicular railway or a ropeway.
For this, the Department of Tourism has signed two MoUs with the Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL).
The ropeway would be a pilot project to be run on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis.
The Rajgad Fort was the main fort for Shivaji Maharaj before the legendary Maratha warrior moved the capital to Raigad Fort in Raigad district, where he was coronated and laid the foundation of the ‘Hindavi swaraj’ – self-rule of the Hindu people. Incidentally, the Raigad Fort has a ropeway, which is run by a private party.
Located over 50 kms away from Pune city, the Rajgad Fort – nestled in the Sahyadri ranges, is popular among tourists and trekkers. The fort is located at an altitude of 4,514 ft on the hill named Murumb Devacha Dongar. The fort has stood witness to many significant historic events as it is associated with Shivaji Maharaj's life.
The Ekvira Devi Mandir is located near the Karla Caves near Lonavala. The temple has an idol of Goddess Ekvira right next to the caves, once a centre of Buddhism.
The state has two funicular services – Saptashrungi Devi Temple in Nashik district and Jivdani Mata Temple at Virar in Palghar district. Another rope would come up in Haji Malang shrine at Kalyan in Thane district.
The MoUs were signed in the presence of state Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, Minister of State for Tourism
Aditi Tatkare, Principal Secretary (Tourism) Valsa Nair Singh, Ashutosh Salil, MD, MTDC and Dr Dhananjay Sawalkar, Director, Directorate of Tourism (DoT).
Dr Sawalkar said: “Being a popular pilgrimage place and having nearby tourist attractions like Karla caves, Ekvira Devi temple witnesses 7 to 8 lakh tourists annually. Similarly, Rajgad fort has historical significance as it was the capital of Shivaji Maharaj for nearly 25 years and is a popular trekking destination. Therefore, with the development of the ropeway, the religious place will be easily accessible for the tourists and will result in promoting tourism at these locations.”
Anil Kumar Gupta, Director, IPRCL said, “A ropeway project requires very less land acquisition, is cost-effective and eco-friendly. It will definitely be beneficial for the tourism sector in Maharashtra. We are happy to have got this opportunity.”
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