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Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: February 2: This refers to the history of CBD Belapur by Swati Pandey ( Vashi2Panvel.Com: Navi Mumbai: Sept 23). She has mentioned the younger brother of Peshwa as Appaji Anna. This name is wrong. The younger brother of Peshva Bajirao the Great was Chimaji Appa. Name of their father was Balaji Vishwanath, the first Peshwa (Prime Minister) appointed by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj (grand son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj).

Chimaji Appa led Peshva's campaign against the Portuguese and conqured the well known fort at Vasai (District Thane). The Maratha army under the leadership of Chimaji Appa started from Pune and marched upto Panvel. From Panvel they proceeded in boats through Panvel creek (Gadhi river) upto Belapur and entered Thane creek. From Belapur they sailed to Vasai via Thane. On his way to Vasai, Chimaji Appa must have captured the fort at Belapur.

The normal route of travel from Mumbai to Pune was via Belapur and Panvel till the time the British developed the road via Thane, Mumbra and the railway via Thane, Kalyan, Karjat. People travelled in boats from Mumbai port to Belapur and further upstrem to Panvel. After landing at Panvel port, they proceeded to Khopoli, on way to Pune, either on foot or in a cart or in a Palquin, depending upon how rich the traveller was.

Belapur was an important place on this route and hence the fort was built here to regulate trade and to provide security to traders and travellers.

Mukund Gondhalekar