Authorities in Kolkata dismantled a 70-foot statue of Lionel Messi in the Lake Town area after engineers identified serious structural safety risks [1].
The removal of the monument marks a swift reversal for a project intended to celebrate the global football icon. Because the structure posed a direct threat to public safety, city officials prioritized demolition over the tribute's preservation.
The statue was unveiled in December 2025 [3]. However, the celebration was short-lived, as removal operations began in March 2026 [4]. The decision followed reports that the monument lacked the necessary stability to withstand local weather conditions.
"The statue is swaying in moderate winds and poses a danger to the public," said municipal engineer Rajesh Kumar [1].
To manage the risk before the full demolition, officials implemented immediate stabilization efforts. "We have secured the structure with ropes as a temporary measure while demolition plans are finalised," said Kolkata Municipal Corporation spokesperson Ananya Sen [2].
The project represented a significant financial investment for the organizers. "The project cost around Rs 10 crore and was intended as a tribute to Messi," said project manager Arvind Patel [2].
Engineers flagged structural deficiencies that made the 70-foot [1] monument unstable. The height of the statue combined with these flaws meant it could not be safely maintained in the Lake Town area, leading to the order for its removal [1, 2].
“"The statue is swaying in moderate winds and poses a danger to the public,"”
The rapid demolition of the monument, occurring only months after its unveiling, highlights a failure in the initial engineering and quality control phases of the project. The loss of a Rs 10 crore investment underscores the risks associated with rapid urban construction of large-scale public art without rigorous wind-load testing and structural validation.
