Shivaji statue collapse: PWD letter warned Navy of its precarious condition

“Rajkot Fort in Malvan taluka was constructed on December 4, 2023 on the occasion of Navy Day. Accordingly, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was erected at the fort. In June, it was repaired by Jaideep Apte, the sculptor of the statue. But now the nut and bolts used to join the statue are corroded by the rain and the salty sea breeze. Therefore, the statue is looking deformed,” the letter had said.

“Also, Rajkot fort is visited by tourists throughout the year. Therefore, tourists, local villagers, public representatives etc. have expressed their displeasure about this. Therefore, it is requested to inform the architect concerned from your level immediately about taking permanent measures,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the statue was built and overseen by the Navy and added that its collapse is not an issue on which one should play politics.

“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is highly revered and worshipped by people in Maharashtra and across India. The collapse of the statue was unfortunate incident. It has saddened everybody. Therefore, this is not an issue on which one should play politics,” he said.

“The state government did not construct the statue. It was done by the Navy. It is likely that those responsible for the construction and installation of the statue overlooked critical factors like high windspeed and quality of iron/steel. The statue along the seashore was exposed to high speed wind along the vast expanse of sea,” he added.
Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, who hails from Sindhudurg district, said that the government will construct a bigger 100-feet statue of Shivaji Maharaj at the same spot.

Kesarkar reiterated that the statue was erected by the Navy. “The incident is sad but good things will come out of it. There was a demand to build a 100-foot statue of Maharaj at this spot. We will ensure that this happens,” he said.

Opposition Congress Tuesday held demonstrations in different parts of Maharashtra against the state government over the statue collapse. The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) has given a call for protests on Wednesday.

State Congress chief Nana Patole pointed out that the work of the statue was given to a new and “inexperienced” sculptor Jaydeep Apte.

“The government spent Rs 2.35 crore on this while Rs 5 crore was spent on beautification. No study about the salty and speedy winds was done before. The government was busy taking credits and collecting commission,” said Patole, demanding not only contractors but even the state and central governments should face criminal cases over this.

The Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also questioned why Apte, a 24-year-old with limited experience in large-scale statues, was chosen.

In response, Shinde Sena functionary Rahul Kanal defended the appointment, pointing out that individuals close to Aaditya Thackeray have also benefited from government schemes.

Kanal listed seven projects allegedly awarded to Thackeray’s associates, terming the criticism “politically motivated”.

The statue was commissioned by the Indian Navy and created by Artistry, owned by Apte. The project was conceptualised by the Indian Navy with funding from the Maharashtra government.

On Monday, PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan stated that his department had previously warned the Indian Navy about the potential for rusting and had requested prompt action.