Corrosion, weak frame welding faults led to Shivaji statue collapse: Probe

Mumbai The committee set up to probe the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue collapse at Malwan in August has concluded that internal corrosion, weak frame and welding faults led to the fall of the statue. The committee submitted its 16-page report to the state government on Wednesday.
In its report, the committee has said that the frame of the statue was not strong enough to bear the load of the 33-feet tall statue. Internal corrosion in the statue as well as faults in the welding led to the crash, the report concluded.
The original statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, on the eve of Navy Day at Sindhudurg. Its collapse on August 26 caused immense embarrassment to both the state and central governments.
Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor responsible for making the 28-feet tall statue that collapsed, was arrested on September 4. The structural consultant of the statue Chetan Patil was also arrested over the incident.
Following the incident, the state established two committees: one to investigate the causes of the collapse and another, led by Additional Chief Secretary (PWD) Manisha Mhaiskar, to oversee the creation of another grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. On Tuesday, the state public works department (PWD) issued a tender to build a new statue at a cost of ₹20 crore. The new statue would be almost double the size of the one that collapsed and the company that builds it will have to give a guarantee that it would last at least a hundred years. The committee has also suggested that in the new statue that comes up, the frame must be made taking into consideration the weight of the statue.
In the aftermath of the statue’s collapse, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde consulted numerous sculptors for their views on constructing a new statue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Shinde, and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar publicly apologised for the incident.