Kolkata's 70-Ft Lionel Messi Statue Removed: Sree Bhumi Monument Dismantled Due To Safety Concerns
Kolkata's 70-Ft Lionel Messi Statue Removed: Sree Bhumi Monument Dismantled Due To Safety Concerns The Public Works Department (PWD) has officially taken down and removed
Kolkata's 70-Ft Lionel Messi Statue Removed: Sree Bhumi Monument Dismantled Due To Safety Concerns The Public Works Department (PWD) has officially taken down and removed the massive 70-foot monument of Argentine football hero Lionel Messi from Kolkata's Lake Town neighborhood, which is a startling development for football enthusiasts. Just five months ago, in December 2025, during Messi's well reported "GOAT Tour" to India, the golden statue featuring the Inter Miami star joyously lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy was grandly erected.
But the famous installation soon turned into a serious risk to public safety. When locals and commuters saw the enormous fiberglass and iron structure clearly swinging in the wind following severe pre-monsoon thunderstorms and strong winds, they frantically shouted concerns. Critical structural flaws, including serious flaws in the foundation bolts, were discovered during a later engineering assessment by the PWD and police officers, endangering an impending collapse over a densely populated VIP Road intersection.
On Monday, workmen carefully removed the enormous sculpture from its pedestal and moved it to a government facility for storage using a 40-ton hydraulic crane and gas torches. As the newly elected government tackles supervision difficulties related to the previous administration's hurried approvals, this drastic elimination also takes place in the midst of a significant political transition in West Bengal.
The spectacular demolition process is captured in this film, which offers an exclusive ground report from Lake Town and explores possible new relocation locations including Eco Park.
The BriefWire