The Madhya Pradesh government assured the safety of the 108-foot-tall ‘Statue of Oneness’ honoring Adi Shankaracharya in Omkareshwar, stating it meets international engineering standards. Responding to Congress’ concerns about cracks in the statue, the chief engineer of ‘Ekatma Dham’ emphasized its robustness and structural integrity. The project, completed in 2023, involved the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), JTQ, Meinhardt, and C.P. Kukreja Associates.
The government highlighted that IIT Madras and IIT Delhi provided technical assistance for the statue, with IIT Madras conducting seismic studies and IIT Delhi assessing its design life to exceed 500 years. The monument, designed to withstand Seismic Zone-IV standards despite being in Zone-III, underwent a wind tunnel study by Germany’s Werner Sobek AG, proving its resilience to winds up to 169 kmph. Structural analysis using ETABS software confirmed the statue’s stability, with stress levels well within safety limits.
Addressing concerns raised by the Congress over alleged cracks, the government reiterated the statue’s firm anchoring and structural soundness. While the Congress demanded an independent technical audit, the BJP government defended the statue’s quality and adherence to engineering norms, dismissing any safety issues.
