In a landmark judgment, the Kalyan civil court has ruled that the disputed Durgadi Fort belongs to the Maharashtra government, dismissing claims by the Majlis-E-Mushawarat Trust in a case that spanned nearly five decades. Senior Division Civil Judge A.S. Lanjewar rejected the Trust’s suit as time-barred, reaffirming state ownership of the historic hilltop fort.
The dispute, rooted in a 1966 report by the Thane district collector, arose over the presence of a Hindu temple, mosque, and idgah at the fort. The Trust, which filed its claim in 1976, argued for religious rights over the site. However, the court emphasized the Trust’s failure to justify the significant delay in pursuing the case.
The state has overseen the fort’s administration since 1966, with repairs undertaken by the public works department in 1994 under court authorization. The Kalyan Municipal Corporation later assumed responsibility but failed to comply with upkeep requirements, prompting the state government to resume direct control.
The Trust’s plea to transfer the case to the state waqf board was also dismissed. Advocate Sachin Kulkarni, representing the government, highlighted the lack of merit in the claims and underscored the cultural and historical significance of the fort.
In light of the verdict, security has been heightened in Kalyan town and at Durgadi Fort. Hindu groups, including Shiv Sena and Hindu Manch, celebrated the ruling with a symbolic ‘aarti’ at the fort’s temple. Shiv Sena leaders cited the fort’s historic capture by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1656 as evidence of its enduring legacy.
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