Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Statue Cost Crosses ₹100 Crore Mark
- ₹50 Crore More Proposed for Favoured Contractor
- Project Cost Jumps from ₹45 Crore to Nearly ₹116 Crore
Pimpri : The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation had initially planned to spend ₹45 crore to build what was announced as the world’s tallest statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Moshi. However, a change in location, incomplete possession of land from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority at the Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre (PIECC), and alleged political interference have pushed the project cost from ₹45 crore to ₹65 crore and now close to ₹116 crore.
Citizens have alleged that under the name of honouring the legacy of Sambhaji Maharaj, the municipal treasury is being drained through unnecessary expenditure.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s courage, administrative vision and strategic brilliance in protecting Swarajya are widely respected in history. With the aim of showcasing his legacy to the world, the municipal corporation decided in 2020 to install a 100-foot statue of the Maratha ruler at Borhadewadi in Moshi. The project included construction of the statue and beautification of the surrounding area within an estimated budget of ₹45 crore. Accordingly, on March 16, 2020, work orders were issued to contractor M/s Dhaneshwar Construction.
However, when the pedestal work at the original Borhadewadi site had already reached midway, the authorities suddenly decided to shift the location of the statue. The new site was later finalised within the PIECC premises under PMRDA. Due to delays in this process, fresh work orders to build the statue at the new site were issued only on March 4, 2024. Notably, the same contractor was retained for the project despite the change in location.
The deadline to complete the work was set for March 12, 2025. However, despite repeated extensions, the contractor has failed to complete the project. Many followers and admirers of Sambhaji Maharaj have expressed disappointment over the delay.
Are Public Funds Being Misused in the Name of Pride?
At the earlier Borhadewadi site, a statue of Hambirrao Mohite is now being constructed. Due to the shift in location, around ₹65.81 crore has already been spent on the Sambhaji Maharaj statue and beautification works at the new site.
Originally estimated at ₹45 crore, the project cost has already risen to about ₹66 crore. Now, the authorities are reportedly planning to spend an additional ₹50 crore for civil and beautification works in the statue premises, again favouring the same contractor.
Under this proposal, a tender worth ₹32.34 crore by Dhaneshwar Construction is being processed at a zero percent rate in the municipal corporation. Another tender worth ₹18.66 crore submitted by Moving Pixels is proposed to be approved at seven percent below the estimated cost.
If both tenders are approved, the total cost of the statue project will jump from the initial ₹45 crore to ₹66 crore and eventually reach nearly ₹116 crore. This has led taxpayers to question whether crores of public money are being unnecessarily spent in the name of honouring Sambhaji Maharaj, who is regarded as a symbol of pride for the entire Hindu community.
