New Tender Launched for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue Following Malvan Collapse

*Mumbai:* In the wake of the recent collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan, the Kankavli division of the Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a new tender for the statue's reconstruction. Announced on Tuesday, the state has allocated ₹20 crore for this project.

Ajaykumar Sarvagod, the executive engineer of PWD Kankavli, emphasized the need for diligence in the new construction. “The new statue will stand 60 feet tall, significantly larger than the previous 33-foot structure, and will be modeled after the Statue of Unity in Gujarat. The contractor selected for this project must ensure the statue's durability for 100 years and will be responsible for its maintenance for the first ten years,” he stated. The terms of the tender require completion within six months.

The original statue, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, just prior to Navy Day in Sindhudurg, fell on August 26, leading to considerable embarrassment for both state and central authorities. In response to this incident, the state government formed two committees: one to investigate the reasons behind the collapse and another to supervise the construction of a new statue. The latter committee is chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (PWD) Manisha Mhaiskar and includes a diverse group of experts, including naval officers and engineers from IIT Mumbai.

In the aftermath, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde consulted various sculptors for insights on the new statue’s design. Both Prime Minister Modi and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar have expressed their commitment to ensuring a successful reconstruction and have publicly acknowledged the need for accountability regarding the previous statue’s failure. The investigation committee, led by Commodore Pawan Dhingra, is in the final stages of preparing its report after conducting field assessments.