Pune ZP to transform Wadas in Junnar, Baramati into heritage homestays

In the first such initiative by a government body, the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) will lead the transformation of historic Wadas or traditional courtyard houses near Shivneri fort in Junnar and in Baramati into heritage homestays, in a marriage of conservation and rural tourism.

- Dheeraj Bengrut

The initiative is being positioned as a model to preserve the cultural heritage while generating livelihoods for local communities.

The move comes on the back of Shivneri fort's inclusion in UNESCO's (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's) tentative list of world heritage sites, not to mention the growing interest in heritage tourism across Maharashtra.

So far, the ZP has identified 13 Wadas located near Shivneri fort in Junnar taluka and 22 in Baramati taluka. These structures, many of which are over a century old, require significant repairs and upgrades to become tourist-ready. To implement the pilot, the Pune ZP has constituted two expert committees comprising heritage architects,