If Stainless Steel Had Been Used, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue Would Not Have Collapsed: Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday (3 September) stated that the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg could have been avoided if stainless steel had been used to make the structure.

Gadkari also emphasised the importance of using rust-resistant materials in coastal regions.

"I have been pressing for the last three years that stainless steel should be used in the construction of bridges built close to sea. When I (as state minister) was implementing the construction of 55 flyovers in Mumbai, one person took me for a ride. He put some powder-coating on iron rods and said those were rust-proof... But there was rusting. Now I feel in all roads within 30km from the sea, stainless steel should be used. If stainless steel had been used for the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, it would have never collapsed," he said at a FICCI event, Times of India reported.

The statue, a 35-foot tall depiction of revered Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was unveiled on 4 December 2023 during Navy Day celebrations, collapsed on 26 August afternoon after severe "weather conditions" in the region.

Sindhudurg police have issued a lookout notice for sculptor Jaydeep Apte, who has been missing for over a week after the collapse of the statue.

Last week, Malvan police filed an FIR against Apte and structural engineer Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. While Patil remains in police custody until 5 September, Apte is still in hiding.

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