After a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg collapsed on Monday, Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar expressed sadness over the incident and suggested that a new 100-foot-tall statue should be constructed in its place, news agency ANI reported. He mentioned plans to discuss the proposal with the Chief Minister (CM) and Deputy CM, indicating that estimates for the new statue were already being prepared.

Kesarkar stated, "I haven`t been there yet, but I must say that this statue was originally constructed by the Navy to honour Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who they recognise as the first naval king. While it`s unfortunate that the statue has collapsed, there are now opportunities for positive developments. The local community has been calling for a 100-foot statue to be built here. I will discuss this with the CM and Deputy CM, and we have the estimates ready."