Pune, 12 January 2025: Sinhagad Fort witnessed a heavy rush of tourists during the winter holiday season, driven by pleasant weather, its rich history, and natural beauty.
According to the Sinhagad Forest Protection Committee, around 96,000 tourists visited the fort between December 22, 2025 and January 11, 2026, not including those who came on foot.
During this period, about 21,662 tourists arrived on 10,831 two-wheelers, while nearly 37,465 people came in 7,493 four-wheelers. Around 37,000 more visitors used private tourist vehicles. This heavy flow of tourists showed how popular Sinhagad remains during holidays.
The Forest Department collects an entry fee of ₹50 from two-wheelers and ₹100 from four-wheelers. In these 20 days, the department earned ₹12.65 lakh through online payments. The highest collection was recorded on December 28 at ₹1.32 lakh, followed by January 1 with ₹1.19 lakh. The lowest collections were on January 7 and 9.
Forest officers and security teams carried out regular patrols to manage crowds and ensure safety. Local residents, who are allowed to run food stalls under the Forest Department, saw strong demand for traditional items such as onion fritters, pithla-bhakri, curd, buttermilk, raw mango, and lemon drinks.
However, the rising number of visitors has put pressure on infrastructure. Parking space is limited, and traffic congestion is common on the last three kilometres of the ghat road. Vehicles often have to be stopped for short periods to control the flow, forcing some tourists to turn back from Golewadi.
Forest officials said toilet repairs in the parking area will begin soon, and plans are being made to enforce a plastic ban. With tourist numbers growing every year, efforts are underway to improve facilities and manage the crowd better.