Union MoEF approved the construction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Arabian Sea

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on 4 December 2014 gave its approval for the construction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue and memorial in the Arabian Sea, off the Mumbai coast.

As the project is environmentally sensitive, it will cost approximately 2000 crore rupees to ensure that it does not cause any environmental damage.

Highlights of the project
• The proposal put forward by the state includes a 190-feet statue that is to be erected on a rocky projection 1.5km from Raj Bhavan. The total area will be 15.96 hectares.
• The plan is also comprised of three levels of pedestal with museums, art galleries and recreation centres.
• On the mainland, there will be two jetties- the existing one at the Gateway of India and a proposed jetty at Nariman Point to ferry passengers and commodities.
• To make it environmentally sustainable, there will be a sewage treatment plant and desalination plant along with wind mills, solar shelters, solar light poles, tidal turbines etc.
• The memorial will consist of three layer pedestal of concrete with stone cladding of granite. The rocky outcrop will be fortified with a Reinforced Cement Concrete sea wall.

Background
In January 2014, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) had recommended to the MoEF to consider a special dispensation under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification-2011 for the proposal to install Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue and memorial in the Arabian sea as a permissible activity.

It had also asked the ministry to delegate powers to the MCZMA under CRZ Notification 2011 to recommend the project from a CRZ point of view to the planning authority at the state level.