Pune: Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister, Chandrakant Patil, inaugurated the newly reconstructed steps leading to the revered Shri Mhatoba Temple located on ARAI Hill in Kothrud on Sunday.
Highlighting the significance of the project on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Patil stated that the old steps to the temple had deteriorated severely, prompting consistent appeals from local residents for their reconstruction.
“Honouring this long-standing request, the steps have now been rebuilt using stone, enhancing not only the convenience for devotees but also the overall sanctity of the temple surroundings,” he wrote.
Patil also announced plans for a comprehensive development strategy for the Mhatoba Temple area. He assured that funds from the MLA development budget would be allocated for this purpose, emphasizing a structured and sustained improvement of the locale.
In a related development, the minister recently voiced his displeasure over a fire incident on Mhatoba Hill, allegedly caused by vandals. In response, he directed the forest department to take preventive actions against such destructive activities.
Patil further proposed a series of initiatives to preserve and enhance the hill’s ecology, including the removal of invasive weeds to support healthy tree growth, construction of protective boundary walls where needed, installation of solar-powered CCTV surveillance systems, and increasing the deployment of security personnel to safeguard the area.
These steps underscore a broader effort to protect and improve the natural and cultural heritage associated with Mhatoba Hill while making the temple more accessible and secure for devotees.
