The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday, 9 July asserted that the 108-foot-tall 'Statue of Oneness' dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar is structurally sound and constructed in accordance with international engineering standards. The clarification follows allegations by the Opposition Indian National Congress (Congress) that cracks had appeared in the statue, prompting demands for an independent technical inspection.

Government's Position

Chief engineer and project director of Ekatma Dham, Rajiv Srivastava, stated in an official release that the multi-metal statue, installed in 2023, is 'completely safe, robust and structurally strong.' He said the project was executed by the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation through Larsen & Toubro (L&T), with JTQ handling the casting work. Singapore-based Meinhardt served as the project management consultant, while C.P. Kukreja Associates was the design consultant.

Technical Studies and Expert Backing

IIT Madras and IIT Delhi provided technical support for the project. IIT Madras conducted seismic studies, while IIT Delhi assessed the statue's design life at more than 500 years. According to the government, the monument was designed to meet safety standards applicable to Seismic Zone-IV, even though Omkareshwar falls under Seismic Zone-III — a higher safety threshold than required.

A wind tunnel study by Germany-based Werner Sobek AG confirmed that the structure can withstand wind speeds of up to 169 kmph. A structural analysis using ETABS software further showed that the monument's stress ratio remains well within permissible limits, indicating a high safety margin.

What the Opposition Alleged

The Congress recently claimed that cracks had developed in the statue and questioned the quality of its construction. The party has formally sought an independent technical audit of the monument. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has dismissed these allegations, maintaining that the statue meets all prescribed engineering benchmarks.

Srivastava said the pedestal and the main structural framework remain firmly anchored, and there is no concern regarding the statue's stability. 'The statue has been designed and constructed following the highest engineering standards. All technical studies have confirmed its structural stability,' he said.

Background and Significance

The 'Statue of Oneness' at Omkareshwar is one of the flagship cultural infrastructure projects of the Madhya Pradesh government, commemorating the life and philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th-century Hindu philosopher. The monument's controversy comes at a politically sensitive juncture, with the Congress looking to press accountability questions ahead of future electoral cycles. The government's detailed technical rebuttal — citing four independent expert bodies — signals it intends to hold its ground on the project's credibility.