In a scathing attack on the government over the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj statue, NCP (SP) MLA from Karjat Jamkhed, Rohit Pawar said that the cost of the Shivaji statue was Rs2.40 crore and equivalent money was spent by the government for the construction of three temporary helipads near the statue for the arrival of dignitaries like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence minister Rajnath Singh CM Eknath and DCM Devendra Fadnavis.
Pawar termed it as rampant corruption and sarcastically called it as 'doors and windows of the house are costlier than the house'.
In a tweet corroborating his claim, Rohit mentioned that the state had spent Rs2.40 crore for the construction of the statue and spent Rs2.03 crore for the construction of three temporary helipads.
The government spent Rs78.51 lakh, Rs45.53 lakh and Rs 79.28 lakh for the helipads. In one case work order was issued on September 3, 2023, and a tender was issued on 30 November, 2023., he said.
'In the second case, a tender was issued on December 1, 2023, and work order was issued on December 03, 2023. In this case, within two days work order was given to the contractor, construction of the helipad was completed on the same day and the inauguration of the statue was done on December 4, 2023.
A tender for the third helipad was issued on November 30 but the work order details were not shared by Rohit Pawar.
Rohit Pawar, sarcastically said 'thieves had come before the establishment of the village.'
