Pimpri-Chinchwad: A 100-foot bronze statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is being built in Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Moshi area -- under the leadership and guidance and at the request of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Mahesh Landge. However, recent decisions taken in the standing committee meeting of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) have raised eyebrows.
The statue is being built by the PCMC administration itself, but it's clear that the initiative for it has come from MLA Landge. However, on Wednesday, the Standing Committee put a “red flag” on two proposals totalling Rs 50 crore for civil and electrical works in the statue’s vicinity, choosing to defer the decision.
On 16th January, the BJP gained a comfortable majority in PCMC, and since then, they have dominated the standing committee, with 13 of 16 members being from the party. The memorial is a flagship project conceptualised by Mahesh Landge, and the committee’s decision to stall proposals related to the MLA’s vision has drawn significant attention.
The Standing Committee meeting was held on Wednesday, chaired by Abhishek Barne. Outgoing PCMC Commissioner Shravan Hardikar and various department heads were in attendance.
During the session, the committee approved several other development projects, including third-party inspection of water and river quality, laying water pipelines from Gharkul to Jadhavwadi Pump House, development and electrical works for a cemetery in Moshi, and setting up an EV charging station at the Annabhau Sathe Bus Terminal in Bhakti-Shakti Chowk.
Suspicion Over Tender Processes
Two separate proposals, including one for Rs 32.43 crore and another for Rs 17.35 crore, were tabled for civil and electrical infrastructure around the memorial. However, Committee Member Sulabha Ubale (a corporator from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena) raised objections, noting that crores of rupees have already been spent on the project.
Ubale expressed suspicions of collusion in the tender process and questioned the necessity of the additional Rs 50 crore. She alleged that no official provided a detailed breakdown of the work completed so far or what the new funds would cover, despite being asked for clarification.
Site Inspection Planned
While emphasising that there is no opposition to honouring Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Ubale stated that members are feeling pressured to approve high-value items under the guise of the memorial. To ensure the quality of work and transparency, the chairperson and committee members have decided to conduct a physical inspection of the site.
PCMC Standing Committee Chairman Abhishek Barne said, “We do not oppose the two proposals regarding the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj statue. However, members expressed a desire to inspect the ongoing work first. Accordingly, all members will visit the site. These items will be considered for approval in the next Standing Committee meeting.”
