Authorities in Kolkata are removing a 70-foot statue of footballer Lionel Messi after the structure was found to be unstable [1].
The decision follows reports that the monument swayed during moderate winds, creating a significant risk for pedestrians on the busy city road where it stands [1, 2]. Because the statue is located in a high-traffic area, structural defects could lead to a catastrophic collapse if not addressed immediately [3, 4].
The monument was unveiled in December 2025 [2]. It served as a massive tribute to the athlete, but the recent swaying scare indicated that the construction did not meet necessary safety standards for its height and environment [2, 3].
According to reports, the statue cost Rs 10 crore to produce [4]. Despite the investment, the risk to public safety has overridden the desire to keep the landmark in place. West Bengal state authorities are now managing the removal process to ensure the site is cleared without incident [1, 2].
Local officials said that the structural instability posed an unacceptable danger to the public [1, 4]. The removal process is intended to mitigate the risk of the 70-foot structure falling onto the adjacent roadway [1, 3].
The removal of the statue marks a sudden end to a project that was intended to celebrate global sporting excellence in India [2, 4]. No further plans for a replacement or relocation of the statue have been announced by the state authorities [1].
“The 70-foot statue of footballer Lionel Messi in Kolkata is being removed because it was found to sway in moderate winds.”
The removal of a high-cost public monument shortly after its unveiling suggests a failure in the initial engineering or quality control phases of the project. By prioritizing public safety over the financial loss of the Rs 10 crore investment, West Bengal authorities are addressing a liability that could have resulted in significant casualties given the statue's location on a busy urban thoroughfare.
