20200106 Fire at Vasai fort, villagers blame revellers turned away on December 31
India Jan 08 2020 “Building” “Other bldg.”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Fire at Vasai fort, villagers blame revellers turned away on December 31
Updated: 2020–01–08
MUMBAI: A fire broke out near the main entrance of the sixteenth-century Vasai fort 48 km from here on Monday evening. It damaged some date palms.
Locals blamed revellers who were prevented from entering the historical fort on New Year’s Eve.
Locals said liquor bottles and cans were found inside the fort after the fire brigade doused the blaze. The flames, which the fire brigade contained in an hour, is believed to have originated from dry grass on a plain surface leading up from the staircase.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conservation assistant for the fort Kailash Shinde said no damage was caused to any structure within the 109-acre precincts.
Entry into the non-ticketed fort, which is 500 years old and has been under restoration for over a decade, was restricted on Tuesday.
The police and fort enthusiasts had on December 31 stopped around 150 cars and 50 two-wheelers from entering the precincts for New Year celebrations.
The flames were noticed around 9.30 pm. On fire was the dry grass covering the entrance. The blaze soon engulfed a few date palms; a major part of the fort is surrounded by such trees. Locals said the fort was a hangout for drug abuse and liquor consumption at night and it was possible that such people set the grass on fire using petrol.
Built by the Portuguese as their main military base in the region, the fort has little security today and has become a favoured location for alcohol consumption, drug abuse, couples looking for privacy and even pre-wedding shoots. Ahead of the New Year, heritage enthusiasts had seized a large quantity of liquor bottles and plastics from inside the fort premises. Locals said while New Year’s Eve partying was prevented, the fort has seen crowds since the beginning of the month.
The fort has two entrances, one facing the main road and the other facing the village. Shinde said a request had been sent to the ASI head office in Sion to barricade the two entrances at night.
Fort enthusiasts said in March 2018 the ASI banned events inside the fort precincts but no other steps were taken to control illegal activities inside.
In December 2018, fort enthusiasts under the Kille Vasai Mohim banner had even protested against the neglect of the fort.
Shinde said the superintending archaeologist had visited the fort last month to draw a plan to restrict entry after sunset. Funds crunch has been cited as a major reason for the neglect of the fort.
Web Source: The times of India