The use of substandard material in the construction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, led to the collapse of the it, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023.
FIR and allegations
The FIR has been filed against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The allegations include collusion, cheating, and endangering public safety. The FIR was filed following a complaint by the Public Works Department (PWD), which said that the quality of material used in the construction of the statue was substandard and the nuts and bolts used in the structure were rusted.
Local concerns and PWD action
Local citizens and tourists had already raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of the statue. Despite a warning by the assistant engineer of the Malvan division of the PWD on August 20, no corrective action was taken. The PWD said that rusted nuts and bolts were dangerous for the stability of the statue, but the warnings were ignored.
Statement by Sindhudurg Guardian Minister
Sindhudurg Guardian Minister Ravindra Chavan said that the PWD had informed the Navy about the rusting of the statue and requested it to take appropriate action. Work on the statue began on September 8, and the Indian Navy was tasked with installing it even though the Navy did not have expertise in statue construction.
Unveiling and weather conditions
The statue was unveiled on December 4 in the presence of Prime Minister Modi at Rajkot Fort. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde admitted that strong winds were blowing at a speed of 45 kmph that day. The opposition has criticized the government for its negligence over the incident.
