Authorities in Kolkata, India, are removing a 70-foot [1] statue of Lionel Messi after the structure began swaying in the wind.
The decision to dismantle the monument follows reports of instability that posed a potential risk to pedestrians and residents in the Lake Town area. Because the statue is a massive public installation, any structural failure could lead to significant casualties or property damage.
The swaying incident was reported on Monday, which alarmed passersby and prompted an immediate review by officials [2]. The statue, which depicts the Argentine football legend, was unveiled in December of last year [3].
Public safety officials said that the movement of the monument in the wind created an unacceptable safety risk [4]. The 70-foot [1] structure will be taken down and moved to a different location, or modified to ensure it remains stable during inclement weather.
Local authorities said the removal is necessary to protect the public. The statue had become a landmark in the Lake Town neighborhood since its installation, but the recent instability has forced the city to prioritize safety over the display.
Officials are currently overseeing the process of bringing the monument down. The exact timeline for the relocation or reconstruction of the statue has not been specified, though the immediate priority remains the clearance of the site to prevent accidents [5].
“The 70-foot statue is being taken down and moved because it was seen swaying in the wind.”
This incident highlights the engineering challenges associated with oversized public art in urban environments. The need to remove a monument unveiled only months prior suggests a potential failure in the initial structural assessment or wind-load calculations, reflecting the risks of rapid installation for high-profile celebrity tributes.
