Pune: The Forest Department has announced that Sinhagad Fort will be closed to tourists on Saturday (August 3) and Sunday (August 4) due to heavy rainfall in the Sinhagad and Khadakwasla regions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Saturday and an orange alert for Sunday, prompting the precautionary measure.

On Tuesday (July 30) morning, a significant landslide occurred on the mountain road leading to the fort, causing large trees and a substantial portion of the mountain to block the road.

This has halted traffic to the fort, and efforts to clear the debris began on the same day and continue as of Friday (August 2). Persistent heavy rainfall has complicated the clearance efforts by turning the landslide soil into mud, which has been difficult to remove.

With forecasts of more heavy rain on Saturday, and Sunday, the decision to close the fort to vehicles has been made to ensure public safety. "For safety reasons, Sinhagad Fort will remain closed to vehicles," said Deepak Pawar, Assistant Deputy Conservator.

The landslide that occurred on July 30 was within the final one-kilometer stretch of the Sinhagad Ghat road. A large section of the mountain, including trees, collapsed onto the road.

The forest department and Ghera Sinhagad Forest Conservation Committee started the debris removal process. However, ongoing rain caused delays in the work.

Previously, in response to the increasing number of tourists visiting Sinhagad Fort, the Forest Department had implemented a phased traffic management plan to alleviate the traffic congestion that typically occurs on holidays.

A systematic release of vehicles onto the fort premises was allowed. The responsibility for traffic management in the Sinhagad Ghat area falls to the Ghera Sinhagad Forest Conservation Committee.