Shivaji Statue Collapse: A wake up call for India’s construction industry
- Posted on September 1, 2024
- News
- By Arijit Dutta
- 224 Views
The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, has sparked a national debate on India's construction industry standards. PM Modi's apology highlights the incident's significance. Issues include the L-1 bidding process, poor workmanship, inadequate planning, and maintenance. The event calls for a revaluation of public infrastructure project approaches.

The recent mishap of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district has raised a question mark over the quality of construction and procurement in India. The incident has been widely condemned and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has even publicly apologized for the event, which shows that it can have political consequences.
The 35-feet tall statue was installed by PM Modi on the occasion of Navy Day in December 2023 and it fell down within nine months claiming that it was blown away by high velocity winds. This incident has raised many issues related to quality of workmanship, the L-1 system and the general approach to public infrastructure projects in India.
Key points of concern include:
The L-1 bidding process, which is usually associated with low prices and often neglects the quality of the work.
- Lack of quality workmanship and absence of professional workforce.
- Lack of proper planning and management of the project.
- Poor maintenance practices post-inauguration.
- Emphasis on the procedures rather than the results.
Also Read: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse Case: Arrest Made
The incident has a wider significance, which is indicative of the systemic problems in India’s approach to public projects and the requirement of a change in the merit-based execution of projects and the implementation of strict quality control measures.