PWD Warned Navy of Shivaji Statue’s Risk Before Collapse

PWD’s August 20 Letter Warned Indian Navy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue’s Risky Condition Before Collapse. The Maharashtra Public Works Department, in a letter dated August 20, alerted the Indian Navy about the precarious state of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg’s Malvan. The statue collapsed on Monday amidst heavy rain and strong winds.

The correspondence, penned by the Assistant Engineer from PWD’s Malvan office and addressed to the Area Coastal Security Officer, detailed the statue’s concerning condition and requested that the Navy inform the architect to undertake urgent remedial action.

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Letter Details Of Corrosion Issues and Deformation

“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.

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Fadnavis: Collapse Shouldn’t Be Politicized

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the Navy oversaw the construction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue and emphasized that its collapse should not be politicized. “The statue’s fall is an unfortunate incident and has saddened many. This matter should not be used for political gain,” he said.

Fadnavis noted that the state government was not involved in the statue’s construction, which was managed by the Navy. He suggested that critical factors like wind speed and material quality might have been overlooked.

Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar announced plans to build a larger, 100-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj at the same location.

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