Pune : Forest Department introduces online payment system to pay nuisance fees
PUNE: The forest department has recently made a change to their policy regarding payment of nuisance charges at Sinhagad Fort. Previously, visitors were required to pay these charges in cash, which caused many difficulties for tourists. However, starting next week, the department will introduce the option for UPI payments to be made by tourists. This decision was made in response to the numerous issues faced by visitors.
Officials from the forest department have stated that a new system will be implemented to allow both online and offline payment of nuisance charges. The aim is to ensure that tourists do not encounter any problems during their visit. Currently, the forest department charges Rs 50 for two-wheelers and Rs 100 for four-wheelers traveling to Sinhagad.
As per the information provided, check posts have been set up at Golewadi for vehicles heading from Donje to Sinhagad, and at Kondhanpur Phata on the Ghat road for vehicles traveling from Sinhagad to Kondhanpur. Many tourists have been inconvenienced by the requirement to pay the nuisance fee in cash.
When asked if there is an online payment option available, the staff previously stated that only cash payments were accepted. Some employees even went as far as advising tourists to withdraw money from ATMs situated four kilometers away near Kondhanpur gate.
Consequently, this situation has caused significant inconvenience to tourists. However, starting next week, tourists will have the option to pay the nuisance charges both online and offline.
Sinhagad Fort has been attracting thousands of visitors daily for the past few years, resulting in long queues of vehicles, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays. On average, the nuisance fee collection amounts to Rs 10-15 lakh per month, with the figures seemingly increasing day by day.
Although the official documents accurately display the expenditure figures, local residents have raised allegations of malpractice. Officials argue that if each tourist’s fee is directly deposited into the forest committee’s account, it will eliminate any room for such allegations.
According to the information received, at the Golewadi check post, many tourists claim to be heading towards Kondhanpur or Khedshivapur, and are subsequently released without paying the nuisance fee.
Therefore, it will now be verified whether a receipt for paying the nuisance fee is issued near Kondhanpur Phata on the Ghat road.
Madhupriya Dhanwate
