Pune: PMC To Conduct Structural Audit Of Statues Following Collapse Incident in Malvan

Pune, 31st August 2024: After a distressing incident in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, where a large statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed at Rajkot Fort, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken serious note and decided to conduct a structural audit of all statues under its jurisdiction. Yuvraj Deshmukh, Chief Engineer of the Building Design Department at PMC, shared this information.

The Building Design Department will oversee the project, and data on statues in Pune has already been collected. The audit will reveal the current safety status of the statues and identify measures to enhance their safety in the future.

Pune has over 50 half-sized and full-sized statues, with the responsibility for their maintenance and repair falling under the Building Design Department. However, PMC has historically only paid attention to these statues during birth and death anniversaries, despite the need for year-round maintenance. No structural audits have been conducted by PMC after the statues were installed. Typically, tenders are issued only for painting, and it is a known issue that the administration has not followed up to ensure the work is completed. Many of these statues will now be inspected after years of neglect.

Deshmukh stated, “We have gathered information from the PMC’s Municipal Secretary Department regarding statues in the city. There are more than 50 statues, both half-sized and full-sized, erected by the PMC within its limits. Ensuring their safety is important, so all of these statutes will be audited. Where improvements are needed, we will carry out the necessary repairs.”