Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said stainless steel should have been used for the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj referring to the recent collapse.The minister has underlined the significance of using rust-resistant materials for construction work in coastal areas.
Speaking at a FICCI event on September 3, Gadkari said, "Stainless steel should be used in the construction of bridges built close to the sea.
The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg on Navy Day (December 4) last year, collapsed around 1 pm on August 26. The incident caused embarrassment to the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led state government and invited criticism and protests from the opposition parties. Shinde said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.
