Kishan Reddy writes to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy seeking removal of illegal constructions around Warangal Fort

Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, has urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to initiate action to remove illegal constructions near the Warangal Fort, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He sought their immediate eviction in a letter sent on Tuesday.

In the letter, a copy of which was shared with the media, Mr. Kishan Reddy noted that the Warangal Fort was built during the Kakatiya period in a planned manner, with seven fortification walls to protect the capital from invasions.

The fort withstood attacks by the Delhi Sultans and the Hyderabad Nizams and continues to stand as a symbol of the valour and strength of the Kakatiya rulers, he said. But, during his recent visit, he observed several unauthorised constructions encroaching upon the fort area.

The ASI has issued notices multiple times, reiterating that Warangal Fort is a protected monument and that encroachment and unauthorised construction on its land are offences under the law. Encroachers were directed to vacate the land, he said.

Despite letters sent to the Warangal District Collector since 2022, no effective action has been taken to remove the encroachments or safeguard the fort lands. Mr. Reddy also pointed out that the forest land within the area has been incorrectly recorded as government land instead of ASI property.

He claimed that the ASI officials wrote to the District Collector in October last year requesting joint field inspections. The fort is surrounded by both earthen and stone walls, and recent inspections revealed that portions of the earthen wall have been encroached upon for new constructions.

Mr. Kishan Reddy noted that the fort is a popular tourist destination and that the Central government has recently installed a sound-and-light show at the site. It has also been taking steps to protect the monument. Hence, he urged the Chief Minister to act against the encroachers and extend full cooperation to the ASI for the protection and preservation of the historical monument.