State sanctions Rs 10 crore for phase 2 of conservation at Koraigad fort

PUNE: The state government has sanctioned Rs10 crore to the archaeology department to conduct the second phase of the conservation works at Koraigad, a Maratha empire fort near Lonavala in Maval tehsil, about 80km from Pune.
The fort is a popular trekking destination, where one can walk along its perimeter. Koraigad is famed for its intact wall that encircles the premises.
The state archaeological department completed the first phase of conservation works in 2019 when it constructed a 1.5km perimeter wall and repaired a bastion facing Lonavala town.
In the second phase, the department will construct the remaining 2km perimeter wall and repair the bastion facing Aamby Valley and Koraidevi temple.
Vilas Vahane, assistant director of the Pune division of the archaeological department, told TOI, “We have recently completed the tender procedure. The actual work at the site will commence post-monsoon. It is a challenging task for us to lift materials to the fort. Last time, we had set up a pulley at the foothills. This time, too, we will identify another location for the pulley. We will try to gather manpower from the surrounding villages.”
There is an old temple of the goddess Koraidevi with other temples of Lord Shiva and Vishnu atop the fort. The fort has six cannons from the 16th century, with the largest named ‘Laxmi Toph’.
“We have already maintained two lakes on the fort and set up benches around it for visitors,” added Vahane.
“Several ruins of ancient structures still exist within the fort. The department should preserve these sites before they are destroyed,” Santosh Shelke, an activist from Maval, said.