Repair work on Sher-e-Punjab’s statue podium at Amritsar's Ram Bagh to resume today

The long-awaited repair work on the podium of the iconic statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Ram Bagh will resume tomorrow following the submission of a structural engineer's report. The famous bronze statue, sculpted by renowned artist Ram Vanji Sutar, had developed major cracks in its base, raising concerns over its stability.

The repair work had initially begun last month under the Smart City project, but engineers halted the process after discovering that the condition of the structure was worse than expected. Rajat, an engineer working under the Smart City project, said that when the stone slabs from the podium were removed, it was found that the retaining wall, built with bricks and soil, had weakened significantly over time and developed several cracks. The matter was then referred to senior officials, and a structural engineer's opinion was sought.

"During inspection, it appeared that there was a risk of the statue collapsing. As a preventive measure, we requested a structural engineer's report. The report has now been received, recommending that a new steel and concrete (RCC) retaining wall be constructed to strengthen the podium. The RCC wall construction work will begin formally tomorrow," Rajat said.

According to information, Rs 70 lakh has been sanctioned under the Smart City project for the repair of the statue's podium and beautification of the surrounding area. Though the inclusion of a new retaining wall will increase the overall cost, Smart City officials and engineers claim the site will be restored as an attraction once the work is completed.

It is worth mentioning that earlier, some unidentified individuals had damaged the spear held in the right hand of the statue. Several tiles around the podium were also found broken, and parts of the platform had sunk due to the weakened foundation. Despite repeated complaints, the issue had remained unaddressed for months until now.