Residents fear soil erosion might affect 200-year-old temple in Belapur

Navi Mumbai: Residents fear that the 200-year-old Govardhani Mata temple atop a hillock in sector 32, Belapur, is unstable and might get damaged as a portion of the soil on the hill was reportedly seen to be eroding away.

“Any damage to the temple will have major repercussions because the temple has mass followers, and this structure carries historical importance. The temple has been in existence since the time of Maratha General Chimaji Appa,” said a resident of Nerul and devotee, Vijay Dhate.

The matter has also caught the attention of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the legislative assembly (MLA) Manda Mhatre, who sought immediate action to avert a repeat of the Irshalwadi landslide.

“For the past two years, the hill has witnessed massive excavation. As a result, the soil around the sides of the temple has loosened, leading to the fear of another landslide,” Mhatre said. “In 2018, I renovated the temple using my funds, but due to the digging work, the area has suffered a lot of damage. Even the stairways leading to the temple were destroyed.”

In 2021, a portion of a Belapur fort situated adjacent to the temple collapsed due to heavy rainfall.

Taking the matter seriously, Belapur Ward officer, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Monday issued a notice to the builder and instructed the builder to construct a protective wall surrounding the temple. “It has been mentioned that failure to comply with the order of administration reserves the right to revoke the commencement certificate (CC) to the construction project,” said the city engineer, NMMC, Sanjay Desai.

The civic administration, in the wake of the Irshalwadi landslide, has already undertaken an extensive survey of the areas prone to landslides and 15 sites were identified. NMMC has undertaken activities like the construction of protection walls, and the removal of slum pockets that have mushroomed under the quarry sites.

“Executive engineers are making repeated rounds of these pockets. In the case of the Mahatma Nagar quarry in Nerul, the slum dwellers seem to have gone as their houses are locked. Likewise, the dwellers of Ramesh Metal Quarry in Nerul have been asked to vacate, and alternate sheds have been created to accommodate them if a mishap occurs,” said an official from disaster management.

Meanwhile, the builder Bhalchandra Koli, Bharti Construction, has started undertaking preventive measures. “For nearly four years my project has been stuck as the area now falls under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). To address the concern of landslide I have commenced with the repair work,” he said.

A brief history

The temple dedicated to Govardhani Devi is situated within the Belapur Fort constructed by the Portuguese. As per the Gazetteer of India, the temple was last renovated in 1953.

“To drive the Portuguese away, Maratha warrior Chimaji appa had disconnected the water supply to the fort. Once the fort was abandoned, and Marathas took over in April 1737, they found an Idol of goddess Govardhani and a temple was constructed,” Dhate said. “The pathway that leads to the temple, there is a well, which is unique because it is square in shape. The well still receives fresh water till today.”

Dhate added that there is an inscription on the inner side of the well, which dates back to 1732.