Pune: A visit to Sinhagad Fort could soon involve advance registration through a mobile application as authorities work on a technology-based system to manage the rising tourist rush at the popular Pune destination.

The Forest Department has developed the ‘Kille Sinhagad’ application as part of efforts to regulate visitor movement and reduce overcrowding, particularly during weekends and public holidays. Reports indicate that the system is designed to provide officials with information about tourist footfall and vehicle movement, helping them take decisions when visitor numbers rise sharply.

The move comes amid recurring concerns over congestion on the road leading to Sinhagad. The fort, located in Donaje village of Haveli taluka, is one of Pune’s most popular tourist and trekking destinations. The Pune district administration also identifies Sinhagad as a major historical attraction.

Under the proposed system, visitors could be required to register before travelling to the fort. Authorities are looking at the digital mechanism as a way to monitor the number of people entering the area and manage the crowd during peak periods.

Officials have also been working to strengthen surveillance around Sinhagad. CCTV infrastructure is being upgraded to improve monitoring of tourist movement and identify areas where crowds begin to accumulate.

The digital initiative is not limited to controlling the number of visitors. A previously reported plan for Sinhagad included features such as online entry booking, information on parking and traffic conditions, emergency alerts and real-time footfall monitoring.

The proposed system is particularly significant during the monsoon, when Sinhagad attracts large numbers of visitors. Heavy tourist movement can put additional pressure on the approach road, parking areas and other facilities around the fort.

However, tourists should note that the current official Maharashtra Forest Department website does not presently list Sinhagad advance booking among its publicly displayed online booking services, so the exact launch date, mandatory booking rules and operational procedure should be confirmed through an official announcement before visitors rely on the app.

With visitor numbers continuing to rise, authorities are increasingly turning towards digital monitoring and advance registration to make tourism at Sinhagad more organised, safer and easier to manage.