Mumbai: Barely a month after its grand unveiling, the area around the newly installed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot Fort in Malvan has seen a partial land cave-in, raising serious concerns about the quality and safety of the construction.
The statue, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had replaced an earlier installation that had collapsed just eight months prior, reportedly due to structural failure.
The latest incident occurred on Sunday, when a large crater appeared on the left side of the statue's platform. Though the statue itself remains unaffected, viral videos showing the sunken ground have triggered public outcry and prompted swift action from local authorities.
Responding to the incident, the Chief Engineer of the Malvan division of the Public Works Department (PWD) and his team began a detailed inspection of the surrounding site. The inspection, expected to take 8–10 days, aims to identify potential danger zones and ensure the structural integrity of the statue’s base and surrounding infrastructure.
According to an official from the office of PWD Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale, the crater has already been repaired, and comprehensive checks are underway.
Sindhudurg Collector Anil Patil addressed the media, stating that the ground had sunk due to recent heavy rains and clarified that the issue has now been rectified. "There is no danger to the statue itself, and all necessary safety precautions are being taken," he assured.
Opposition Slams Government Over 'Recurring Failures'
The incident has provided fresh ammunition to the Opposition, which has launched a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti alliance, alleging rampant corruption and negligence in public infrastructure projects.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut accused the government of prioritizing political spending over essential public works. "The original statue inaugurated by PM Modi collapsed. Then a new one was erected with crores of rupees spent. Now the ground near the pedestal has caved in again. This is what happens when corruption dictates construction," Raut said.
He added, “Look at the Gateway of India statue – it has stood strong in the sea for 60 years because there was no corruption. But here, they spend public money to buy MLAs, to fund schemes like 'Ladki Bahin' for votes, but not on safe construction.”
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal echoed Raut’s concerns, calling the cave-in a clear sign of poor construction. “If the pedestal of a statue develops a hole within a month, that’s nothing short of scandalous. The original statue collapsed due to corruption, and now the new one is facing the same fate. This shows nothing has changed,” Sapkal said, demanding an independent investigation into the matter.
