Access to the decades-old route leading to the Ayyappa temple at Mangor Hill in Vasco will remain unchanged after a reported confrontation involving naval authorities, temple devotees and local residents, with civil and police officials intervening at the site.
The dispute arose on Friday after naval authorities allegedly blocked the traditional access used by devotees and people living in the area, according to a report by The Times of India. The reported move led to heated arguments at Mangor Hill and brought the issue of access through the site into the public domain.
Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar reached the location after tensions emerged. Deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate Pratap Gaonkar, mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit, Superintendent of Police Gurudas Kadam and Vasco police inspector Vaibhav Naik also arrived at the site, the report said.
Discussions were subsequently held with naval authorities over the route. Following those discussions, Salkar assured residents that the existing access would not be changed. His assurance addressed both the concerns of Ayyappa temple devotees and those living in the surrounding area, who depend on the traditional route.
“The existing access would remain unchanged. I will see that the religious sentiments of the devotees worshipping Lord Ayyappa and the locals residing here will fully be respected,” Salkar said, according to the report.
The episode places a longstanding local access arrangement at the centre of coordination between a naval authority, the district administration, elected representatives and the police. The presence of the deputy collector, sub-divisional magistrate, mamlatdar and senior police officials indicates that the dispute required intervention across multiple levels of local administration.
The report did not specify the reason for the alleged access restriction, whether any written order had been issued, or whether the naval authorities announced a separate operating arrangement for the area. It also did not report any injuries, arrests or property damage in connection with the confrontation.
For residents and devotees, the immediate outcome is the assurance that the existing route will remain available. Further action, if any, would depend on coordination between the naval authorities and the district administration regarding access at Mangor Hill.
