Strong winds on May 28 caused six idols of the ‘Saptarishis’ at Ujjain’s Mahakal Lok corridor in Madhya Pradesh to collapse and suffer damages. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident, which occurred while the site was crowded with visitors. The facility was temporarily closed but later reopened.
The project, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, has faced criticism from the opposition Congress, alleging corruption and demanding an investigation into the substandard construction quality. Out of the 160 idols installed at the corridor, the six 10-feet-tall idols of the ‘Saptarishis’ fell due to the strong winds. They will be restored, as they were located in the corridor surrounding the Mahakaleshwar temple, not inside it.
Companies from Gujarat were involved in the construction, which has a total cost of Rs 856 crore, with the first phase accounting for Rs 351 crore.
State Congress chief Kamal Nath demanded immediate restoration of the idols and an investigation into the alleged corruption and substandard construction. He called for punishment for those responsible.
The incident emphasizes the vulnerability of the Mahakal Lok corridor to gusty winds, which claimed two lives elsewhere in Ujjain.
The corridor, one of the country’s longest, stretches over 900 meters and passes through the revived Rudrasagar lake as part of the redevelopment project around the Mahakaleshwar temple. It showcases 108 intricately-carved sandstone pillars depicting the Anand Tandav Swaroop, a form of Lord Shiva’s dance, along with 200 statues and murals of Lord Shiva and goddess Shakti.