'Won't Have Collapsed If Stainless Steel Were Used': Nitin Gadkari On Shivaji Statue Collapse In Maharashtra

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has said if stainless steel were used for the construction of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, it would never have collapsed.

His remarks came amid an ongoing political war of words between the Mahayuti government and the opposition MVA over the collapse of the statue, which was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “…If stainless steel had been used for the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, it would have never collapsed,” he said, advocating the use of rust-resistant construction material in coastal areas. The statue was installed in Rajkot fort, which is located close to the sea.

Talking about how stainless steel should be used for bridges built close to the sea, he added: “When I was executing the construction of 55 flyovers in Mumbai (as Maharashtra minister), a person fooled me. He put some powder coating on iron rods and said those were rust-proof. But there was rusting. I feel that stainless steel should be used within 30 km of the sea…”

Thane-based sculptor Jaydeep Apte had executed the contract to make the Shivaji statue. Police have issued a ‘Look Out Circular’ (LOC) against him in connection with the statue’s collapse at Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg, officials said. An LOC is issued to airports and all other exit points to stop a person from fleeing the country.

Following its collapse on August 26, less than nine months after Modi inaugurated it, police registered a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offences. Patil was arrested from Kolhapur, whereas a search is on for Apte.