The utter neglect of the heritage site—more than 1,500 years old—becomes evident right at the entrance, which is located just beside a toilet block with garbage dumped around it. The fencing has been breached at more than three spots, allowing easy access to passers-by.

On the other end of the cave is an open road leading to a slum-located within 200 metres of the monument in violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958, further leading to the Aarey Milk Colony. And there is hardly any signage to guide visitors.

S Jadhav, a local villager, said though three generations of his family have been living in the area, he now feared eviction, especially in the wake of the High Court order to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to improve the condition of the caves.

“As a child I have played here and so have our children. This place is an extension of our homes. How can they displace us?” he questioned.

Namdeo Koli, the ASI’s site attendant, said: “We always question new faces and ask them from where they are coming.” Koli, who is responsible for the upkeep of the caves, said: “After a dead body was found last year, ASI appointed three guards. But we are only there till midnight. After that, the caves remain unguarded.”

An open space in front of the monument gives it a clean look but things become unpleasant the moment one steps in. The natural water tanks carved into the rock are covered with damaged cement slabs and are full of plastic water bottles, wrappers, used condoms and other such waste material—the water stinks.

“These tanks were originally built for storing water using the rainwater harvesting technique. The visitors have again damaged the tanks even though we repaired them. Last year we removed kilos of waste but littering continues,” he said.

Behind the stupa hall, the walls of the smaller pillared hall with nine chambers opening into it have been defaced by graffiti. People often come to relax here, as they did on Monday. But worst was left for the last cave where Newslinefound two men urinating-the security guards immediately caught them but let them off with a light warning.

“We can’t run behind each and every person. So when we catch them drawing or urinating, we make them clean it. But it’s difficult to control drug addicts,” said a security guard.

G S Narsimhan, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, said the lack of adequate and capable staff created problems at Mahakali. “But at times when stopped, people get violent and even our staff find it difficult to control them,” he said.