State government sources said the cost of the new statue could well exceed Rs 1,000 crore. When the project was first proposed, the estimated cost was Rs 100 crore, which was later hiked to Rs 500 crore.
“The old design was meant for a different location which was beset with environmental issues. We had to go for a new concept since we now have a new spot which is located further into the ocean,” said Patil. Plans for the statue were first announced in the 2004 election manifesto of the Congress-NCP combine in the state.
The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and National Institute of Oceanography have been asked to draft an Environmental Impact Assessment report for the project, a pre-requisite for clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
