Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's mid-sea memorial: Maha govt may issue fresh tender

The Maharashtra Government today informed the Bombay High Court that it had not yet taken a final decision on the award of tender for the construction of mid-sea memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Advocate General Darius Khambata made the statement before the division bench of Justices S J Vajifdar and Anil Menon, in response to a petition by Team Architects One Pvt Ltd, which has challenged the project and sought a stay to the opening of submitted bids.

Khambata said in fact the government was planning to issue a fresh tender as very few bids were received earlier. The petitioner firm then sought time to file a rejoinder, following which the court adjourned the hearing to June 23. A 300-feet statue of Maratha king Shivaji has been proposed to be put up in the Arabian Sea, facing the Marine Drive in south Mumbai.

The project also includes a museum, an aquarium, a library and an amphitheatre. According to the petitioner firm, the government had earlier selected its plan for the memorial, but later it backed out, causing the firm a loss. The state's affidavit gives the reasons for rejecting the petitioner's plan.

The current plan has been prepared by Rajiv Mishra, principal of J J School of Architecture. On the last occasion the court had refused to grant a stay to the opening of bids.