Lionel Messi’s 70-Foot Statue In Kolkata To Be Dismantled After Safety Inspection
Kolkata to dismantle Messi statue over safety concerns.
A 70-foot statue of Argentine football legend Lionel Messi installed in Kolkata is set to be dismantled just five months after its unveiling due to safety concerns, according to officials and media reports. The towering structure, built as a tribute ahead of Messi’s visit to India for his “GOAT Tour,” had become a major attraction but was recently flagged after reports emerged that it was swaying in strong winds, raising concerns over its structural stability.
The statue, which depicts Lionel Messi holding the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy, was installed in December as part of fan celebrations marking the global football icon’s India tour. The installation was completed in just 27 days and was widely promoted as a landmark tribute by supporters in West Bengal. However, officials now say that its foundation and structural integrity may not be sufficient to withstand long-term environmental stress.
Following complaints from local residents, the Public Works Department (PWD) conducted an inspection of the structure. Authorities reportedly found that the statue was unstable and could pose a safety risk if left in place. Officials stated that precautionary steps were necessary to avoid any potential accident, especially during periods of high wind activity. The decision to remove the statue was taken after assessing the risk factors associated with its current installation site.
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West Bengal MLA Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed that the structure had been deemed unsafe, noting that visible movement in the statue during windy conditions raised red flags. He added that while the tribute was intended to celebrate Messi’s global legacy, public safety had to be prioritised. Authorities are now exploring alternative locations where the statue could be reassembled with improved engineering support and stability measures.
The statue had been part of a broader wave of excitement surrounding Messi’s visit to India last year, which included stops in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi alongside teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. However, the Kolkata leg of the tour was later marred by crowd control issues at Salt Lake Stadium, where fans reportedly expressed frustration over poor visibility and event management, leading to chaotic scenes and intervention by police.
In recent developments, organisers of the tour have also been drawn into controversy, with allegations of mismanagement and disputes over access and ticketing arrangements. Despite these issues, the Messi statue remained a prominent symbol of fan enthusiasm until safety concerns led to the decision for its removal, marking an abrupt end to one of Kolkata’s most talked-about sporting tributes in recent years.
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