Maha cabinet gives green signal to Rs 100-cr Shivaji statue

Mumbai: The Maharashtra cabinet today approved a proposal to allocate Rs 100 crore for installation of a statue of warrior king Shivaji in the Arabian sea off the Mumbai coast. According to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, it will be the tallest statue (in the world). However, he refused to specify how high it would be. [caption id=“attachment_1375663” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Prithviraj Chavan. AFP image[/caption] “International bids have been invited. Concept plan has been readied. We have asked the Ministry of Environment and Forest to give exemption as the site comes under CRZ-4 category (where no construction can take place),” he said. Chavan said the site, where the statue would come up, is a 16-hectare bedrock in the sea. Even during high tide, the rock stands 3 to 4 meters above sea-level. “The site is 1.2 km from Raj Bhawan, 3.6 km from Girgaum and 2.6 km from Nariman Point,” the CM added. In June last year, the Centre had approved in-principle the politically sensitive project as a special case. Reportedly, the statue of the warrior king facing the Marine Drive in South Mumbai, will be taller than the proposed Sardar Vallabhai Patel statue (182 metres) in Gujarat. PTI