State expands committee investigating Shivaji statue collapse in Malvan

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) has expanded its investigative committee probing the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue following a directive from the union government.
Last week, the union government contacted state chief secretary Sujata Saunik, recommending the inclusion of two additional members to the committee. In response, PWD additional chief secretary Manisha Mhaiskar promptly added Pradeep Kumar, director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Central Building Research Institute, and Rajesh Khaire, chief engineer (establishment) of Central Public Works Department in Chennai, to ensure a thorough investigation.
The expanded committee, now operational, is led by Commodore Pawan Dhingra. Other members include Sanjay Dashpute, Secretary PWD (buildings); Vikas Ramgude, former chief engineer of PWD and a structural engineer; RS Jangid from IIT Mumbai’s civil engineering department; and S Parida from IIT Mumbai’s metallurgical sciences department.
Concurrently, a second committee under Mhaiskar’s supervision is in the process of finalising the tender for a new statue. “It will be taller than the earlier statue, and the entire cost will be borne by the state. We aim to finalise the tender by the end of this month,” an official stated.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapsed on 26 August, causing significant embarrassment to the state government. The statue had been unveiled on 4 December by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of Navy Day.