“Nuts and Bolts Were Rusted”: Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue Collapse in Sindhudurg

An FIR has been filed against the contractor, Jaydeep Apte, and the structural consultant, Chetan Patil, following the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. The statue, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2023, fell on Monday, just eight months after  its inauguration.

The complaint was lodged by the Public Works Department (PWD), alleging poor construction quality and claiming that the nuts and bolts used in the statue had rusted, leading to its instability. Apte and Patil face charges under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including accusations of fraud, collusion, and endangering public safety.

Public Concerns and Ignored Warnings

Prior to the collapse, local residents and tourists had raised concerns about the deteriorating condition of the statue. These warnings, including an alert from the assistant engineer of the Malvan division of the PWD, went unheeded. On 20 August, the engineer had informed relevant authorities about the rusting nuts and bolts, which posed a significant risk to the statue’s structural integrity.

Ravindra Chavan, the guardian minister of Sindhudurg, acknowledged that the PWD had previously informed Navy officials about the issue, urging them to take appropriate steps to prevent further deterioration. Despite these alerts, no preventive actions were taken, ultimately leading to the statue’s collapse.

The Construction and Unveiling of the Statue

Construction of the statue began on 8 September, with the Indian Navy being tasked with its erection. Notably, the Navy, which lacks expertise in statue construction, was responsible for the installation of both the statue and its pedestal. The statue was unveiled on 4 December 2023, during a ceremony at Rajkot Fort, with Prime Minister Modi presiding over the event as part of Navy Day celebrations.

Government Response and Opposition Criticism

Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, attributed the collapse to strong winds, stating that gusts of up to 45 km per hour were recorded at the time. However, this explanation has been met with criticism from the Opposition, who accuse the government of negligence and failing to act on earlier warnings about the statue’s condition.

The investigation into the incident continues, with authorities looking into the possible negligence and quality issues surrounding the statue’s construction.