Belapur Fort, Military fortification in Navi Mumbai, India

Belapur Fort is a fortification of dark, irregular stone blocks set in thick mortar, its lower courses of large rough stones and its upper section of smaller, more uniform blocks. An arched opening and a narrow vertical slit are cut into the curving wall, and dense green foliage grows against and over much of the stonework. It stands on a hillock near the mouth of Panvel Creek.

The Siddhis of Janjira built this fortification in the 16th century as a strategic stronghold. It later passed through Portuguese hands before eventually falling under British control.

The name Belapur comes from a vow by Maratha commander Chimaji Appa: after retaking the fort from the Portuguese in 1737, he placed a garland of beli leaves at the nearby Amruthaishwar temple, and the fort was renamed Belapur. The Portuguese knew the place as Belaflor do Sabaio. Local residents have used the Right to Information Act to stop dumping and debris at the site.

You can reach the fort by taking a local train to Belapur station, then a short auto-rickshaw ride to the entrance. The site is easiest to explore during the dry season when paths are in better condition.

Local stories speak of an underground passage that supposedly runs from the fort toward Gharpuri Island nearby. This hidden connection would have provided access to the ancient temples carved into rock on that island.