Shiv Sena Corporator Objects to Consultant Appointment for Sambhaji Maharaj Statue; Proposal Cleared by Standing Committee

Pimpri Chinchwad, 10th June 2026: A proposal to appoint a consultant for post-tender work related to the under-construction Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj statue project in Moshi was approved by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) standing committee on Wednesday despite strong objections from Shiv Sena corporator Sulbha Ubale, who alleged irregularities in the project’s tendering process and demanded an independent inquiry.

In a letter addressed to the standing committee chairperson ahead of the meeting, Ubale urged the civic body to reject the proposal to appoint Creations Engineers Pvt Ltd as consultant for post-tender activities related to the fourth phase of the project. However, the proposal was approved during the committee meeting.

The ambitious project involves the installation of a 100-foot bronze statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Borhadewadi in Moshi. According to Ubale, PCMC has so far approved tenders worth around Rs 92.76 crore for four phases of the project. The first phase, involving the construction of the pedestal, was awarded for Rs 12.47 crore, while the second phase for the statue itself was approved at Rs 32.84 crore. The third phase, covering remaining pedestal work and landscaping, was sanctioned at Rs 15.11 crore. The fourth phase, involving civil, electrical, beautification and art-related works on the remaining acquired land, was approved at Rs 32.34 crore.

Ubale claimed she had repeatedly raised concerns in standing committee meetings and the general body over alleged irregularities in the Phase-IV tender process. She said written complaints had also been submitted to the municipal commissioner, but no inquiry had been conducted and no response had been received from the administration.

In her letter, the corporator alleged that the tenders lacked fair competition and that the project estimates were prepared using questionable rate analyses. She claimed the rates of several materials and works had been inflated beyond prevailing market prices, causing financial losses worth crores of rupees to the civic body while enabling contractors to earn undue profits.

She further alleged that several items included in the tender appeared unnecessary for the actual execution of the project and were incorporated only to inflate the contract value. According to her, the quantities shown in the estimates exceeded actual requirements and an independent third-party audit was necessary to verify the figures mentioned in project documents against the ground reality.

Ubale also questioned the appointment of the same consultant for post-tender work, alleging that the consultant involved in pre-tender activities had prepared flawed estimates and tender conditions. Appointing the same agency for post-tender supervision would create a conflict of interest and could potentially conceal irregularities in the preparation of the project estimates and tender documents, she alleged.

The corporator stated that a complaint had also been submitted to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who had reportedly directed that the matter be examined and a report be submitted. She has sought a copy of the inquiry report and demanded that the administration investigate the issues raised in her complaint. Meanwhile, the standing committee went ahead and approved the consultant appointment proposal.