The collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Malvan fort has been attributed to a combination of faulty design, poor execution, and lack of upkeep. A probe committee investigating the incident has found that the metal structure of the statue rusted due to adverse weather conditions, weakening the welding joints and leading to its eventual collapse. The project, inaugurated just eight months ago by PM Narendra Modi, has sparked public unrest and political controversy, with allegations of corruption surfacing.
Initially, the collapse was blamed on high winds, but further investigation revealed deeper issues with the design and construction of the statue. The statue’s designer/sculptor Jaydip Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil were arrested on charges of lapses in the project. The Indian Navy, which had planned and executed the project with funding from the Maharashtra government, clarified its role in the maintenance of the statue.
A joint panel consisting of experts from the Indian Navy, state and central Public Works Departments (PWDs), and IIT-Mumbai was formed to investigate the collapse. The panel submitted a report to the government highlighting the reasons for the weakening of the structure. It was noted that the metal frame supporting the statue’s hollow structure was not strong enough to withstand the coastal weather conditions, leading to rusting of the welding joints, nuts, and bolts.
The maintenance of the statue also came under scrutiny, with conflicting reports from the Navy and PWD regarding responsibility for upkeep. The PWD claimed that they had informed the Navy about the deteriorating condition of the statue before the collapse and requested immediate repairs. However, the repairs carried out by the sculptor proved to be ineffective due to the harsh weather conditions in the coastal region.
Sculptor Apte admitted in a media interview that he had completed the casting work and assembly of the statue in a record time frame. However, it was later revealed that he had not obtained the necessary approvals for the enlarged statue model from the State Department of Culture. Despite these issues, the state government has announced plans to build a larger statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the same location, with stricter terms and conditions to ensure its longevity.
The incident has raised concerns about the quality of infrastructure projects in the region and the need for better oversight and accountability in such endeavors. The government’s response to the collapse and its plans for the future statue project will be closely monitored to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
