MP: Strong winds damage 6 out of 7 'Saptarishi' idols at Ujjain's Mahakal Lok corridor
Companies from Gujarat were involved in the creation of the idols and the construction of the corridor. The total cost of the Mahakal Lok project amounts to Rs 856 crore, with the first phase costing Rs 351 crore.
FollowGusty winds damaged six out of the seven idols of 'Saptarishis' installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor, developed on the Mahakaleshwar temple premises in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain city.
According to officials, a large number of visitors were present at the site when the incident happened on Sunday at around 4 pm. No person was injured in the incident. Following the incident, the facility was shut for a few hours following the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the initial phase of the Mahakal Lok corridor project in October of the previous year. This incident has provided an opportunity for the opposition Congress party to criticize the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, alleging corruption in the project. They have demanded an investigation into the alleged substandard quality of construction.
According to Ujjain Collector Kumar Purshottam, "Out of the 160 idols installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor, six idols of 'Saptarishis' (seven sages), which were approximately 10 feet tall, fell down at around 4 pm due to strong winds in the area."
The corridor was promptly closed after the incident. However, it was reopened at 7 pm, and a significant number of visitors returned to the location, as stated by Purshottam. He further clarified that the damaged idols were not located inside the Mahakaleshwar temple itself, but rather in the Mahakal Lok corridor surrounding it. The idols will be restored.
Fortunately, despite the crowded premises, no injuries were reported during the incident, according to another official. Two individuals, however, lost their lives in Ujjain due to the same gusty winds that caused the idols to fall.
The official mentioned that companies from Gujarat were involved in the creation of the idols and the construction of the corridor. The total cost of the Mahakal Lok project amounts to Rs 856 crore, with the first phase costing Rs 351 crore.
Kamal Nath, the State Congress chief, expressed his demand on Twitter, stating, "I urge the chief minister to restore the idols immediately. The substandard construction must be investigated, and those responsible should be punished."
Arun Yadav, Kamal Nath's predecessor, commented to PTI over the phone, "The BJP government is even targeting Gods now. This incident at the Mahakal Lok corridor reeks of corruption."
Regarding the local weather conditions, J. P. Vishwakarma, the duty officer at the India Meteorological Department's Bhopal centre, informed PTI that the Sunday forecast predicted gusty winds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour at isolated locations in Ujjain during the day.
"We currently lack an Automatic Weather Station in Ujjain to measure wind speeds. We will be requesting one," he added.
The corridor, touted as one of the longest in the country, runs across the revived old Rudrasagar lake as part of the redevelopment project around the Mahakaleshwar temple. The temple is one of the twelve 'jyotirlingas' in the country. With a length exceeding 900 meters, the corridor features 108 aesthetically ornate pillars made of intricately carved sandstone, depicting the Anand Tandav Swaroop (a form of Lord Shiva's dance), as well as 200 statues and murals of Lord Shiva and goddess Shakti.
