Nitin Gadkari Explains Cause Of Shivaji Statue Collapse, Says THIS Should Have Been Used For Construction

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the statue would not have collapsed had stainless steel been used.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari speaks on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse row.

Source : PTI

Amid an outrage over the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the structure would not have collapsed had stainless steel been used for the construction of the statue.

"I have been pressing for the last three years that stainless steel should be used in the construction of bridges built close to the sea," Gadkari said during an event in New Delhi.

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 added.

Lookout Circular Against Sculptor

A Lookout Circular has been issued against sculptor Jaydeep Apte who was awarded the contract to build the 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj which collapsed last month causing widespread outrage.

Malvan police in Sindhudurg district issued the circular on Tuesday to airports and all other exit points to stop Apte from fleeing the country, reported The Indian Express.

Despite sending several teams to different places, Apte remained untraceable and hence the Lookout Circular has been issued to ensure that he does not flee the country, a senior police officer said.

Following the collapse of the 17th-century Maratha warrior's statue on August 26, eight months after being unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an FIR was registered against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil. The two individuals were booked on the complaint of the Public Works Department for attempted murder, attempt for culpable homicide, destroying public property, negligence and other offences.  

Patil was arrested from Kolhapur on Friday, and Apte remained untraceable.

The 24-year-old sculptor owns an art company in Kalyan and was given the contract to create Shivaji Maharaj's statue when he did not have any experience in constructing such large statues, reported India Today.

Questions have been raised as to how Apte was awarded the contract.