Worli Fort faces encroachment

Written By Pooja Patel | Updated: Jul 24, 2015, 01:36 PM IST

Temple built in the premises of Worli fort

Built on Worli hilltop and overlooking Mahim Bay, Worli Fort, though well maintained, is dotted with illegal structures

Scan the length and breadth of India, and you’re bound to notice that this country is a trove of gigantic forts. Once serving as a line of defence for several centuries, these forts are nothing less than architectural enigmas. However, due to prolonged negligence of these structures, they’ve now become prone to encroachments, only to be taken over illegally.

Factopedia: Built in 1675 by the British, the Worli Fort was erected to keep a check on enemy ships and pirates. Locally known as the Worli Killa, it is located in the G-South ward and is in the jurisdiction of the State Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Maharashtra.

Present state: This fort was completely restored by the Archaeological Survey of India in 2009 and is now well maintained. However, an illegal gym has been constructed in the fort and is functioning for several years. Despite the authorities being informed about the same, no action has been taken against it as yet. There’s also a temple built inside the fort.     
 

The information and the picture for this article were sourced with the help of NGO Nagar.