Why is a ready statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj lying locked in Wadi Bunder?

A life-size statue remains locked in a shed at Wadi Bunder near Sandhurst Road

As South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant pushed for a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti on Monday and questioned its absence, a life-size statue of the 17th-century warrior is lying locked in a shed at Wadi Bunder near Sandhurst Road.

Sawant was at CSMT to attend a Shiv Jayanti function when he criticised the Maharashtra government. "The absence of a statue at CSMT reflects badly on the government, which seems to have no self-respect. The Union government installed a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Kevadiya railway station and adorned its walls with murals of Patel. We are proud of that. But here, despite the station being named after Chhatrapati Shivaji, his statue is still missing. The government has been ignoring this. All parties should unite and pass a resolution in the Maharashtra legislature to install a life-size statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in front of CSMT," Sawant said.

On the occasion of Shiv Jayanti, railway employees celebrate at CSMT. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Clarifying the Kevadiya station case, the official said the statue of Sardar Patel came first, and the station was developed later.

The Railways, however, cited two regulations that prohibit the installation of statues on station premises. The first, an Indian Railways circular from the 1970s, states that installing statues of national leaders on station premises is prohibited as they are "not considered appropriate places to honour our national heroes."

The rule includes plaques, murals and memorials. The second is that CSMT is a UNESCO-listed heritage site, where any structural intervention is strictly prohibited.

Despite this, a 25-foot statue has been lying locked away at Wadi Bunder since its completion a few years ago. The statue was originally meant to be installed in front of Platform 18 at CSMT, near the P D'Mello Road entrance. The plan also included murals of Raigad, Panhala, Sinhagad, Shivneri, Rajgad, Bhulkot, and Janjira forts, along with themed lighting. However, the entire project was scrapped after CSMT was selected for redevelopment.

"The statue was commissioned by some overzealous officials unaware of the dual restrictions. Now that it's ready, it will likely be installed in a railway colony or utility space away from the station," an official said.