No change in Shivaji memorial site, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ruled out the possibility of shifting the proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial from its present location in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai coast.

On October 24, one person had died when a boat carrying 25 people capsized in the Arabian Sea off the Mumbai coast when it was heading to the site of the proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial, where work was to begin that day. The tragedy has revived the demand to shift the ambitious project on land in the city.

"There is no reason for changing the location (of Shivaji memorial). The memorial will take shape at the same place. We have (already) begun the work," Fadnavis said while interacting with select media persons Monday night.

Terming the last week's accident as unfortunate, Fadnavis said, "Initial probe into it has suggested that the accident took place after the boat operator took a short cut en route to the memorial site."

The project has got all the requisite permissions, granted after all its aspects, including its location, were considered, he added.

Fadnavis, whose government will complete four years in office on Wednesday, noted that the warrior king Shivaji had built several forts in the sea years ago and that too at difficult locations.

"And we have got such a convenient location and still we debate on it? How come we are so timid about (building) the memorial of the king, who built so many forts in the sea?" he asked.

Raising safety concerns in the event of the incident, some pro-Maratha groups as well as Kankavli MLA Nitesh Rane had demanded that the memorial be built on some other location like the premises of the Raj Bhavan here or at Sindhudurga fort in Konkan.