Pune Forest Department To Hand Over Food Stalls At Sinhagad Fort On December 5
Pune Forest Department To Hand Over Food Stalls At Sinhagad Fort On December 5
After a nearly two-year wait, the Pune forest department is set to hand over authorized food stalls to 32 vendors at Sinhagad Fort on December 5. This move comes after the department demolished 135 stalls in an anti-encroachment drive on November 18, 2022.
Following the demolition, the department met with the gram sabha associations and villagers to address employment concerns. A survey using Google Maps revealed that only 71 of the demolished stalls belonged to local villagers who relied on selling food items within the fort premises.
Considering the situation, the forest department promised to set up authorized stalls to support the villagers’ livelihoods. However, the project faced significant delays, taking over a year to commence and an additional six months to complete.
The department has constructed 24 stalls in six units using steel and repurposed previous structures in a designated food-vendor zone. The stalls are 8 ft x 10 ft in size and are foldable. Initially, the plan was to build 56 stalls in 14 units, but it was later decided to construct stalls only for the 32 vendors who required larger spaces.
A final review was conducted at Sinhagad Fort on Sunday, and the stalls are ready for handover. The remaining 39 stall owners will be accommodated on tables or small temporary structures.
