Work of pedestal going at snail’s pace

Aurangabad, July 4:

The work of enhancing the height of the pedestal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is going at a snail’s pace.

It may be noted after a long demand, the statue was installed at historic Kranti Chowk and unveiled on May 21, 983. A flyover was constructed at Kranti Chowk under the integrated development project. The height of the flyover was higher than the statue. Followers of Shivaji Maharaj demanded to increase the height of the statue.

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) accepted the demand in 2017. The resolution for increasing the height was passed in the general body meeting. The tendering process of work and non-cooperation of the contractor took much time to commence the work. The work began.

However, the contractor abandoned the work after some weeks as the coffers of AMC were empty.

In 2019, the contractor was asked to resume the work or face a police case. He resumed the work, which is going at a snail’s pace. The work of increasing the height of the statue is also under and it will complete by December end. It is uncertain when the statue would be installed.

The pedestal will have murals of elephants and soldiers and its height would be increased up to 31 feet. A total of Rs 2.50 crore would be spent on it.

The contract of the increasing height of the statue was given to painter Pune-based Deepak Thopte. He would complete the work by December end. A total of Rs 1 crore would be spent on it.

Shivjayanti Utsav Samiti office-bearers inspected the work of the statue in February 201.

AMC City engineer Sakharam Panzhade said that the construction work of the platform is at the final stage.

“Efforts are being made to complete the statue installation work as early as possible,” he added.