Express Impact: Odisha govt withdraws determination to relocate iconic Warrior Horse sculpture

Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: With its determination to shift the long-lasting Warrior Horse duplicate sculpture from the Master Canteen sq. in Bhubaneswar drawing flak from varied quarters, the state authorities has determined in opposition to going forward with the plan.

Municipal Commissioner and Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) CEO Sanjay Kumar Singh on Tuesday stated a call to this impact has been taken on the authorities degree.

The determination to maneuver away the sculpture was taken as a part of the Smart Janpath undertaking. The New Indian Express first reported it.

Sources stated a gathering was chaired by the Development Commissioner with the BSCL, Bhubaneswar Development Authority and Culture Department officers on this regard the place it was determined to not relocate the statue from its place for the Smart Janpath undertaking.

Accordingly, the Culture Department which had requested the BDA final month to shift the sandstone sculpture to the roundabout close to Raj Bhawan has now scrapped the choice.

The New Indian Express in its report printed on June 16 had highlighted {that a} proposal of BSCL for relocation of the sculpture to a different place for improvement of Master Canteen had been permitted at a gathering chaired by the Director of Culture Ranjan Das on June 8.

Leaders of opposition BJP and Congress who had vehemently opposed the transfer and staged protests welcomed the choice and demanded that utmost care be given for defense of the statue throughout execution of the Smart Janpath undertaking carried out by the BSCL below Smart City mission.

The iconic duplicate of the well-known sculpture of the Sun Temple at Konark showcasing a warrior with the horse has been adopted by the state authorities as a part of its emblem and positioned on the centre of its official brand.

The authentic warrior and horse sculpture is discovered at one of many gates of the Konark temple.

A landmark of Bhubaneswar for many years, the stone work of late sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra had been erected by the BDA at Master Canteen round 1988.

Despite being an necessary landmark of the capital metropolis, the sculpture has been mendacity uncared for for a number of years. The platform on which the sculpture stands is roofed with wild and undesirable vegetation and tiles on it have been broken attributable to poor upkeep.

However, following the contemporary determination, BSCL authorities will change the design of Smart Janpath on the Master Canteen sq. and rent expert artisans for the safety and restoration of the long-lasting statue, stated a supply, including {that a} undertaking will even be taken up on the roundabout to reinforce the aesthetic great thing about the creative monument.