Shivaji Maharaj's tallest statue to be unveiled in Aurangabad today, timing changed after protest

Aurangabad: After raising objections by the Shivpremis,Maratha Kranthi Morcha as well as BJP over the issue of timing of the unveiling of the statue of Great Maratha warrior Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Historical Kranti chowk at Aurangabad, Municipal corporation administration has now taken a step back and changed the time of unveiling.

As per the Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Astik Kumar Pandey stated that, the Lokarpana (dedication) ceremony will be held between 10 PM to 12 AM on Friday instead of midnight which was decided earlier.

District collector Sunil Chavan also granted permission for the timing of unveiling. State Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will dedicate the statue virtually from Mumbai while guardian minister Subhas Desai and environment minister Aditya Thackeray will be present here.

The tallest statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the country has been erected at Kranti Chowk in Aurangabad and the memorial was to be unveiled on midnight on February 18.

Maratha Kranti Morcha and Shiv Jayanti Festival Committee as well as BJP city president Sanjay Kenekar met Municipal Commissioner Pandey on Thursday over the dispute of unveiling timing that has been going on for the last few days. The commissioner has assured that changes will be made in time.

The statue is 21 feet high. The weight of the statue is 07 metric tonnes. Bronze metal is used for the statue. The height of the square of the statue is 31 feet. The total height of the statue including the Chabutara (Base) is 52 feet. C. C. Stone cladding has been done around the square. In 24 arches around the square, replicas of 24 Mavale have been installed in it.

A fountain has been constructed around the square and a fountain-like water fountain has been arranged from the trunk of an elephant.

A total of Rs 98.00 lakh has been spent for the construction of the new equestrian statue and Rs 255.00 lakh has been spent for the construction of the Chabutara (Square base). (UNI)