27.12.12

Shivaji statue snippets


The Maharashtra state government is expediting the process to construct the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea. Guardian minister for island city Jayant Patil, along with other senior government officials and principal architects, is slated to inspect the site for installation of the Maratha warrior’s memorial, on the lines of the Statue of Liberty in the US, on December 28.
“At a meeting held by Patil, it was decided that the site inspection should be done by a committee. Accordingly, the visit has been planned on December 28,” an official close to Patil said.
Patil will be accompanied by chief secretary Jayant Kumar Banthia, chief architect of PWD department and principal architect of a private firm Bharat Yamsanwar.
The ambitious project requires several nods from the Centre, including the ministry of environment and the defence (navy).
In its 2004 election manifesto, the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had promised the statue. Subsequently, the DF government in 2008 decided to construct a 300-ft Shivaji statue, 1.5 km into the Arabian sea near Marine Drive. However, the project ran into several hurdles, including opposition from several sections of the society.
At the recently concluded state legislature session in Nagpur, the ruling Congress-NCP announced that it will not change the venue for setting up the memorial. The DF government appointed a committee, under the leadership of senior NCP minister Jayant Patil, to coordinate with the departments concerned and sort out issues related to construction of the memorial. The committee has to submit its report to the state cabinet within two months.

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