After monuments, forts & forests out of bounds

PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: The forest department has banned entry of visitors to popular tourist destinations such as Sinhagad Fort, Pachgaon Parvati, Hingne and Bhamburda Forest Park till March 31 to avoid the spread of Covid-19.
Pune division assistant conservator of forests Sanjay Kadu said instructions have been issued to Bhamburda range forest officer Deepak Pawar to not allow people enter Sinhagad Fort and the (forest) parks in areas under his limits till March 31.
“Nearly 4,000-5,000 visitors daily visit Sinhagad Fort. The footfall goes up to 7,000-8,000 on Saturdays and Sundays,” Pawar said.
Pachgaon Parvati and Bhamburda Park receive 3,000-4,000 and 2,000-2,500 visitors daily in the morning and evening. Pawar said the department has put up notice boards at the entry and exit points at all these locations, informing the visitors that the destinations would be out of bounds March 31.
A section of the regular visitors to the hills and forts in and around the city were flummoxed by the administration’s directive.
Ninad Deshpande, a visitor to Vetal Tekdi near Ganeshkhind Road, said he would now have to exercise at home. “I visit Vetal Tekdi every Sunday with my friends. I do not know what we will do this Sunday. In fact, trekking is considered a good way of exercise that boosts immunity. We will, however, have to follow the government’s regulations.”
Vikram Patil visits Sinhagad Fort every alternate Sunday for a trek and said he was disappointed with the closure of hills and the forts, but the government’s decision to keep such places out of people’s bounds might be a wise move because these destinations get crowded in weekends.
He said, “Sinhagad Fort remains overcrowded on weekends and holidays. The government wants to avoid large gatherings in the time of Covid-19.”
The district authorities recently issued orders to close museums and monuments with high footfalls in the city till March 31. Among such destinations are Aga Khan Palace and Shaniwarwada. An average of 600 people visit Aga Khan Palace every day, while Shaniwarwada registers a daily footfall of around 1,600 visitors.