“We Will Build Bigger Statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” says Fadnavis After Original Collapses

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 27th August. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Tuesday that the state government will install a larger statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the site where the original statue collapsed in Sindhudurg district. The 35-foot statue, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last December at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil, fell down on Monday afternoon.

Fadnavis explained that the statue, built by the Navy, was not overseen by the state government. He noted that factors such as high wind speed and the quality of materials used—potentially exacerbated by exposure to ocean winds—might have contributed to the collapse. “The construction and installation of the statue may not have fully accounted for these local conditions,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister assured that an inquiry is underway to determine the cause of the incident. He criticized opposition parties for politicizing the issue, stating, “The collapse of the statue is painful, but turning it into a political issue is distasteful.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attributed the collapse to wind speeds of up to 45 km/h. Additionally, State Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Ravindra Chavan revealed that rust was discovered on the statue and a letter was sent to the Navy about it. A case has been filed against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil by local police.

Opposition parties have accused the state government of rushing the installation of the statue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Fadnavis responded by reaffirming the commitment to replace the collapsed statue with a larger one at the same location.