To honour Maratha warrior Malusare, Pune Municipal Corporation to erect a 30-metre pole to hoist saffron flag on Sinhagad fort

Malusare, a close confidant of Shivaji, is known to have planned a courageous strategy to capture the Sinhagad fort and defeated Udaybhan Rathod while sacrificing his life.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to erect a 30-metre flag post to hoist a saffron flag on Sinhagad fort in the city, in a bid to highlight the achievements of Sardar Tanaji Malusare who lost his life while capturing the fort. The PMC will also undertake beautification of the existing memorial of Malusare in the fort.

Malusare, a close confidant of Shivaji, is known to have planned a courageous strategy to capture the Sinhagad fort and defeated Udaybhan Rathod while sacrificing his life. The Maratha king then built a memorial of Malusare in the fort to honour his sacrifice.

“The Maharasthra state will never forget the achievement of Malusare. In order to let the world know histhe memorial and develop the fort as an inspiration for the youth, PMC has has taken up its makeover and beautification,” said municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar in the proposal before the PMC’s standing committee.

“The plan to erect the flag post to hoist the saffron flag and put decorative lights on the Sinhagad fort at a cost of Rs one crore has been approved. The Sinhagad fort is being developed as a tourist destination and inspirational location by beautifying the memorial of Malusare,” said Hemant Rasane, chairperson of the standing committee.

The Sinhagad fort is out of PMC boundaries and is in the custody of the state Archaeological department while its surrounding is within the state Forest department. The civic administration would have to take necessary permission required for the work from various government departments before starting the tender process.

The PMC is usually not allowed to spend civic funds in areas outside its jurisdiction but the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act allows the same after approval of the general body, he said.

According to PMC, no fee is charged either by the state Tourism department or any other government department from citizens visiting the Malusare memorial in Sinhagad fort. The Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) appointed by the state forest department and Gram Sabha of villages alongside the fort is charging fees from tourists entering the fort for conservation of the forest land.

The PMC also has plans to develop a 2.5 meter wide pathway, storm water drainage and a sitting facility for tourists in the fort at an estimated cost of Rs 75 lakh.

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