Shiv Smarak


The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Smarak or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial is a monument under construction dedicated to Shivaji, the 17th century Indian warrior king and founder of the Maratha Empire. The statue will be located in Arabian Sea, near the coast of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Specifications

The statue will be located facing Mumbai's Girgaum Chowpatty beach, away on a manmade island of rocks. The statue will be in height, placed on top of a pedestal, making the total height of the monument. Statue was initially planned for 192 metres, however was increased to 212 metres as the state government wanted to keep the statue as the tallest competing against an upcoming statue Spring Temple Buddha in China. The project area is planned to be spread over. It is expected to be completed in 2021. Initially the total cost of the project was estimated to be about, but cost-reduction measures have resulted in a contract worth 2500 crores.
The completed vision of the project will include visitor centre buildings, a memorial garden, a library, food court, and convention centre with room for approximately 10,000 people. The memorial will also have a museum, exhibition gallery, amphitheater, helipad, and hospital. The memorial will showcase replicas of Shivaji's forts.

Status

Volunteers have collected water from various rivers in the state and soil from Shivaji's forts for the foundation-stone laying ceremony on 24 December 2016 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Egis in India has been appointed the Project Management Consultant. Egis in India is the local arm of the France-based Egis group.
The Koli fishing community staged protests and they fear that they will lose their livelihood.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray suggested that the money could be better utilised for the development and maintenance of the forts and palaces in Maharashtra, many built during the reign of Shivaji maharaj.
Initial plans for the project called for the foundation to be built from reclaimed basalt and rubble from the Colaba–SEEPZ metro tunnel. However, due to delays associated with the monument, the rubble is no longer reserved for the monument, and is being transported to quarries for storage.
On 1 March 2018, a Letter of Acceptance was issued to the contracting firm Larsen & Toubro.