Meeting to decide action against encroachments in Ellora

The Ellora–Grishneshwar Temple area is grappling with widespread encroachments. The district administration has issued notices to 104 encroachers, whose unauthorised structures are adding to the inconvenience faced by devotees.

To address this issue, District Collector Deelip Swami will chair a meeting on Wednesday with all relevant departments. The focus will be on removing encroachments from the Solapur–Dhule Highway to Ellora temple road and from Daulatabad T-Point to Ellora temple.

Development work is also planned in and around the Shri Grishneshwar Temple and the Ellora Caves. With the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Nashik, an estimated 7 to 10 lakh devotees are expected to visit the Grishneshwar Temple during that time. In light of this, the proposal for removal of encroachments has been pushed forward.

On July 11, collector Swami issued a circular related to the encroachments, and in follow-up, he called a meeting on July 23 with concerned departments and encroachers to discuss and decide the next steps.

In the meantime, several unauthorised shops, stalls, and other structures have come up near the temple and cave area. Instructions have already been given for their removal. The administration is preparing to take action to clear encroachments from the Solapur–Dhule Highway to Ellora Temple, and from Daulatabad T-Point to the temple, confirmed the collector.