Shiv Smarak

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Smarak or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial is a monument under construction dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj , the 17th century Indian warrior king and founder of the Maratha Empire. The statue will be located in the Arabian Sea, near the coast of Mumbai, Maharashtra.[3] Memorial construction is expected to be completed by October 2022.[4]

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Smarak
छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज स्मारक
18.9274°N 72.7910°E / 18.9274; 72.7910
LocationArabian Sea, Mumbai, India
DesignerRam V. Sutar
TypeStatue
MaterialSteel framing, reinforced concrete
Height212 metres (696 ft) Total height including pedestal[1][2]
Beginning date24 December 2016 (2016-12-24)
Opening dateTBD
Dedicated toChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
WebsiteOfficial website
🌍
Proposed location of Shiv Smarak in Back Bay

History

The idea of Shiv Smarak was originally conceived in 2004 by the Indian National Congress-Nationalist Congress Party coalition government of Maharashtra. In 2014 when the BJP and Shiv Sena came to power in the state, the project budget was increased from the initial Rs 100 crores to 3,800 crores in 2016 before being cut down to 2,500 crores in 2018.[5]

Volunteers collected water from various rivers in the state and soil from Shivaji's forts for the foundation-stone laying ceremony on 24 December 2016 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[6][7]

In 2016, Egis in India was appointed the Project Management Consultant.[8] Egis in India is the local arm of the France-based Egis group.[9]

On 1 March 2018, a Letter of Acceptance was issued to the contracting firm Larsen & Toubro to commence construction of the project.[10] Initial plans for the project called for the foundation to be built from reclaimed basalt and rubble from the Colaba–SEEPZ metro tunnel.[3] However, due to delays associated with the monument, the rubble is no longer reserved for the monument, and is being transported to quarries for storage.[11]

Project details
The memorial will be dedicated to Shivaji.

The statue will be located facing Mumbai's Girgaum Chowpatty beach, 1.5 km away on a manmade island of rocks.[12] The statue will be 210 m (690 ft) total height from base of pedestal to tip of sword: 75.7 m (248 ft) statue of horse and rider with a sword 45.5 meters (149 ft) in height, placed on top of a 88.8 m (291 ft) pedestal.[13][14][15][16] Statue was initially planned for 192 metres, however was increased to 212 metres as the state government wanted to keep the statue as the tallest competing against an upcoming statue Spring Temple Buddha in China.[17] The project area is planned to be spread over 130,000 square metres (1,400,000 sq ft). It is expected to be completed in 2021. Initially the total cost of the project was estimated to be about ₹3,643 crore (US$460 million), but cost-reduction measures have resulted in a contract worth 2500 crores.[15][10]

The completed vision of the project will include visitor centre buildings, a memorial garden, a library, food court, and convention centre with room for approximately 10,000 people.[18] The memorial will also have a museum, exhibition gallery, amphitheater and hospital. The memorial will showcase replicas of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's forts.

Connectivity

The memorial will be reachable by boat jetty, helipad and an extension spur of Mumbai Metro.

Since Mumbai has four rainy months every year which makes access to memorial by boat difficult, a 1.2 km undersea metro rail connection from Cuffe Parade on Mumbai Metro Line 3 option for connecting the Shiv Smarak was finalised after considering various ropeway and metro rail options. This option, with a cost of ₹1,500 crore (US$190 million), will provide all weather connectivity during all 12 months of the year. Earlier, options of another undersea metro rail route from Girgaon Chowpatty, or an aerial ropeway and causeway sea link were also considered before deciding on the shorter Cuffe Parade Metro Link.[19]

Issues
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi performing a Jal Pujan ritual, asking the deities to bless the location of the future statue. 24 December 2016.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray had suggested in 2016 that the money could be better utilised for the development and maintenance of the Shivaji's forts and palaces in Maharashtra, many built during the reign of Shivaji maharaj.[20]

The Koli fishing community staged protests in 2017 and expressed their fear that they will lose their livelihood.[21]

Status

In February 2021, the detailed project report from Maharashtra state Public Works Department (PWD) and the environment clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change were awaited for the undersea metro rail link from Cuffe Parade to Shiv Smarak.[19]

In August 2021, the project was stalled since January 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only the bathymetry survey complete while the geotechnical survey was underway. Consequently, state PWD proposed extending project completion date by a year from 18 October 2021 to 18 October 2022.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Cost cutting: For Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial, Maharashtra makes sculpture shorter, sword taller". The Indian Express. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  2. "Fadnavis govt retains Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue as world's tallest, increases height after China's Buddha statue competes". India Today. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  3. "Shivaji Memorial located in the Arabian Sea: Statue to tower on green foundation". The Indian Express. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  4. "Contract for Shivaji Memorial Project, PWD proposes extension of one year to firm without cost escalation". indianexpress.com. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. Lefèvre, C. (2020). Heritage politics and policies in Hindu Rashtra. South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal, (24/25).
  6. Dr Uday S Kulkarni (24 December 2016). "A memorial in the sea | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". Dnaindia.com. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  7. "Narendra Modi performs 'bhoomipujan' of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue". M.economictimes.com. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  8. "EGIS India to help plan Shivaji maharaj memorial". Hindustan Times. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  9. "Our Management". Egis group. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  10. "Cost cutting: For Shivaji maharaj memorial, Maharashtra makes sculpture shorter, sword taller". The Indian Express. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  11. Chacko, Benita (1 April 2017). "Shivaji maharaj memorial: Mumbai Metro 3 rubble unlikely to be used". The Indian Express. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  12. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue: India is about to spend over $50000 million on a statue in the middle of the Arabian sea". Qz.com. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  13. Safi, Michael (14 September 2018). "India to break record for world's largest statue ... twice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  14. "Cost cutting: For Shivaji memorial, Maharashtra makes sculpture shorter, sword taller". The Indian Express. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  15. "Maha govt reduced Shivaji maharaj statue height to 126 metres: Chavan". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  16. Safi, Michael (14 September 2018). "India to break record for world's largest statue … twice". the Guardian. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  17. "ShivSmarak: Maharashtra government wants to increase the height of the memorial". Mumbai Mirror. Press Trust of India. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  18. "Shiv Smarak in Mumbai: PM Narendra Modi to perform bhoomi pooja for Shivaji maharaj statue tomorrow". The Economic Times. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  19. "Undersea rail mooted to reach site of Shivaji memorial during rains". indianexpress.com. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  20. "Ahead of PM's visit, fisherfolk detained". The Hindu. 25 December 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  21. Nachiket Tekawade (25 December 2016). "Ahead of PM's visit, fisherfolk protest". thehindu.com. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
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