Nehru statue in the cantonment area in dire need of maintenance

The statue of the first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru in the cantonment area is in dire need of maintenance. The statue needs repairs, as cracks have started developing on the right side of the podium. The apathy of the Aurangabad Cantonment Board (ACB) towards the upkeep of the statue has angered the residents.

The only full-length statue of India''s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru is in the cantonment area. There are two similar-looking statues in the country. One is at Aurangabad cantonment, and the other is at Secunderabad. Actress Meenakumari has gifted both the statues.

The statue of Jawaharlal Nehru was unveiled by the then President Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan on March 25, 1966. The then defense minister Yashwantrao Chavan, Maharashtra chief minister Vasantrao Naik and Meenakumari were present on occasion. The police had to use force to control the crowd that came to see Meenakumari.

The ACB maintained the statue for several years, but in recent times there has been a blind eye towards the proper upkeep of the figure. The full-length statue has turned black as no polish has been applied for years. The statue and landscaping here are absolutely in a dilapidated condition, the walls of the periphery are found broken at many a place, it has developed cracks, and the inside is fraught with wild grass, with broken pieces of stones and bricks strewn all across.

Now the statue needs repairs, as cracks have started developing on the sides of the podium. Similarly, the social activists in the cantonment expressed anguish over the negligent attitude of the ACB for maintaining busts of freedom fighters and great leaders.

The statue of Jawaharlal Nehru is located on the main road in front of the old cantonment council office. The statue and the premises were well maintained until the ACB office was located here. But about 20 years ago, the ACB office moved in front of the Holy Cross School. The maintenance of the statue had been neglected since then.