MUMBAI, May 26 -- Acting on the directives of the Ratnagiri collector and state archaeological department, the revenue department on May 24 cleared the encroachments from the historical Gopalgad Fort in Anjanvel, Guhagar, ending years of occupation by a private owner. Hindustan Times had on April 8 reported on the fort's neglect and the unauthorised rooms on its premises. The Maratha-era fort went into private hands due to a government blunder, which listed it as barren land and sold in an auction for just Rs.300 in the 1960s. It was finally declared a State Protected Monument in 2016 after relentless efforts by locals and activists. Now under the custody of the archaeology department, officials confirmed that restoration work will soon begin. "Following a petition claiming that the site was barren land, the high court reviewed our evidence and directed a final hearing," said Vilas Vahane, deputy director of the state archaeology department. "After due process and allowing time for objections, we issued a final order, dated September 19, 2024, and requested the revenue department to demolish the unauthorised structures." Vahane added that in line with Supreme Court orders, notices were issued to the occupants and a district committee formed to remove the encroachments in phases. A recent survey by the state archaeology department revealed that the fort's original structures, including the walls, remain mostly intact and need only 20% to 30% restoration. Vahane said the latter would begin soon. In a decisive move following years of legal tussles, the Maharashtra archaeology department in 2019 formally rejected the objections raised by Yunus and Sufiya Maniyar against the protected status of Gopalgad Fort. The Maniyars had challenged the government's notification, claiming that portions of the fort land (Survey Nos 82 & 83) were privately owned and used for mango cultivation. However, after reviewing detailed submissions and a hearing directed by the Bombay high court, the department concluded that Gopalgad qualified as an ancient and historical monument under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1962. While affirming the Maniyars' ownership of the trees, the department clarified that all legal protections under the Act now applied to the fort. The order dismissed the objections and directed the Ratnagiri district collector to take further steps regarding the encroachments. Located on a sea-facing hillock in Anjanvel village, the fort had long been forgotten until Deepak Vaidya, a resident of the village, rediscovered it years after first visiting it as a child, only to find it had turned into 'Simran Mango Farm' due to the 1960 land record error. Along with activist Mangesh Pawar, he raised the issue in 2007, leading to a survey that confirmed the mistake. Despite the fort being declared state property in 2009, no action followed. In 2016, Akshay Pawar, another native of Anjanvel and resident of Kalyan, reignited the campaign. After years of complaints and evidence gathering, the Bombay high court dismissed the claim of private ownership in 2024, paving the way for the state to reclaim the fort. All residents of Anjanvel village, including those who fought for the fort's protection, are elated with the outcome. "This was never about personal property or gain-it was about preserving our ancient heritage," said Akshay Pawar. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who is revered as a god by the people of Maharashtra, conquered this fort, and it should remain a symbol of his legacy, not private ownership. The fort has several step wells and ancient structures that deserve to be preserved and studied."...