Entry to Pandavkada waterfalls banned

NAVI MUMBAI: Taking the past accidents into consideration, the forest department has banned entry to the Pandavkada waterfalls and the Kharghar hills during the upcoming monsoon.

Four girls including three college students were washed away by a strong current while they were trying to cross a stream near the waterfalls in August 2019. Dnyaneshwar Sonawane, range forest officer (RFO), Panvel, said, “The area of Pandavkada waterfalls does not have proper infrastructure. Hence, people have to climb the hillocks and cross several streams to reach the main area. These streams, however, remain swollen during the monsoon and people meet with accidents while crossing them.

“The Cidco has plans to develop some infrastructure around that place. Therefore, like last year, these places will remain shut for the tourists this year too,” he said.

Sonawane said that they would soon conduct a meeting with the local police and traffic department to discuss the matter. “We will request them to take action if they spotted anyone entering those places. We will also put up boards banning entry to both the places.”

A Cidco officer said, “We have plans to make Pandavkada a proper tourist spot on the lines of Matheran. We will develop a proper road and a few bridges to go to the site. A few sight-seeing points along the upcoming road are also on the anvil. It will take a few years to execute it.”

The officials from Kharghar police station said that even as the forest department has banned entry to those places, it was actually very tough to execute it. An inspector said, “There are several routes to enter the area from the main road. There are a few villages near the hills and people can enter from those villages too. So, it is not possible to stop the illegal entry.”