Nine years after Congress-led government in Maharashtra made an election-time promise of constructing a 312-feet statue of warrior king Shivaji off Mumbai shore, the Centre today gave in-principle approval.
Addressing a press conference here, Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natrajan said the finalised site in the Arabian sea, a 18-hectare rock, was a safe place.
"Even during high tide, the rock stands 3 to 4 meters above sea-level," she said.
The project, which will come up in Coastal Regulation Zone-4 (where no construction is allowed), was approved in principle as a special case, the Union Minister said.
"We have studied the case thoroughly and are satisfied. No commercial activity is being allowed," she said.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said as many as 40 clearances of different kinds would be required. "We will now submit a detailed project report (to Centre)," he said.
