MUMBAI: Special program to mark begining of work on Shivaji Memorial off Mumbai coast had to be cancelled on Wednesday after a boat on the way to program venue, with top government officials abord, capsized. According to rescue operators, while 22 people have been rescued, one is still reported to be missing while going to press.
"The boat on way to program for begining of the work of Shivaji Memorial capsized today. Chief Secretary, PWD Secretary and many other senior officials were on that boat. Fortunately all of them have been rescued. However, one person is still missing," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the reporters.
He also said that a thorough inquiry would be conducted into the causes of the accident.
"Our boat hit something, probably a rock, when we were on our way to the program. Theee were around 25 people on the boat. We were at the lighthouse near the southernmost tip of Mumbai when the accident took place. There was a hole in the boat and water started gushing in. Immidiately we called coastguard and other agencies. The boats came in and rescued us," said Yogesh Naik of Mumbai Mirror who was on the ill-fated boat.
"While last two-three persons were yet to be rescued the boat turned turtle. A couple of peoplease were then pulled out of water," he added.
"Siddhesh Pawar (25) is still missing," the rescue operators said. Siddheah, a CA by profession from Beed, had come to attend the function along with his uncle Vinayak Mete. Mete, a member of legislative council on BJP ticket, is also the Chairman of the committee entrusted with development of Shivaji Memorial. He too was on the boat along with officials, contractors and others.
The proposed memorial, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed Jalapoojan about two years back, had been at the centre of several controversies since it was in the conceptual stage. While the local fishermen bodies have objected to the location for the memorial, Maratha groups were unhappy over the alleged hight reduction of the supposedly tallest memorial of the world. There were also controveraies regarsing technical clearances for the memorial project and Mete himself too had written to CM Fadnavis recently complaining about irregularities in awarding contracts for the memorial.
State Congress chief Ashok Chavan expressed grief over the mishap while expressing suspicion over whether it was an accident or a sabotage.
"I'm suspicious whether it was an accident or a sabotage. Mete had voiced irregularities in the project only yesterday and there is this mishap today. I suspect whether this is an attempt to silence Mete," Chavan said.