A portion of the historical Durgadi Fort structure in Kalyan collapsed due to heavy rain on Thursday night. Devotees discovered the collapse when they came to pray at a Durga temple located within the fort. Officials from the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and the Public Works Department (PWD) rushed to the scene after receiving the information.
According to sources, a similar collapse occurred five years ago, after which the PWD repaired and restored the structure, which is under the jurisdiction of the archaeology department.
A resident said, “The damaged part of the structure should be repaired soon; otherwise, it may be in danger of further collapse during the monsoon season.” Experts noted that the fort was constructed with a combination of stone and soil, making it vulnerable to erosion during heavy rains.
Last year, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde approved a fund for the renovation of the structure, responding to a request from Shiv Sena’s Kalyan West City chief, Ravi Patil, to ensure the fort’s maintenance.
“The government has sanctioned Rs12.5 crore for renovation. The first instalment of Rs2.5 crore is already done and work on projects worth Rs5 crore is underway,” Patil said. He also blamed the archaeology department for delaying the renovation work, criticising their inaction until after the collapse.
Suresh Mahatre, also known as Balya Mama and a member of parliament visited the site after hearing about the incident. Mahatre said, “We found that the concerned authority did not pay attention to this. We will take strict action against the contractor if they are found guilty.”
