Portion of roof collapses at Krishnabai Temple in Old Mahabaleshwar

Kolhapur: A portion of the roof of the historic Shri Krishnabai Temple, a revered pilgrimage site in Old Mahabaleshwar, collapsed on Sunday, triggering concerns over the condition of heritage structures in the region.The temple is located in Mahabaleshwar tehsil of Satara district, at a site revered as the origin point of five rivers — Krishna, Koyna, Venna, Savitri and Gayatri. Residents have blamed the incident on alleged negligence by the department of archaeology, demanding an immediate assessment and restoration of the shrine.The residents said the incident occurred when local youths, Amit Zhade, Saurabh Gole, Saurav Salekar and Dadaso Londhe, were voluntarily cleaning the temple premises. "They were removing silt accumulated over time from the water tank located below the Gomukh in front of the temple. As part of the process, the water from the tank was drained, and one of the youths had entered the Gomukh area to clear the silt lodged inside it," a resident said.At that moment, a section of the temple's roof suddenly gave way and collapsed directly into the water tank below. Fortunately, all the youths escaped unhurt, narrowly avoiding what could have been a major tragedy.Zhade said, "Due to the lack of proper maintenance and timely repairs for several years, the temple has reached a severely dilapidated condition. This incident is a result of the negligence of the department of archaeology. Along with conducting an official panchnama, it is necessary to investigate the exact reasons behind the collapse and undertake urgent restoration work."After years of neglect, the archaeology department initiated excavation and cleaning works at the temple, bringing it back into focus. The temple currently falls under the department's jurisdiction, and a staff member has been appointed to oversee its upkeep and cleanliness.Attempts by TOI to contact officials from the archaeology department for a response remained unsuccessful till going to the press.