Safety Crisis Prompts Dismantling of 70-Foot Lionel Messi Statue in Kolkata Months After Controversial ‘GOAT Tour’

KOLKATA — Just five months after it was unveiled amidst massive fanfare and public hysteria, a towering 70-foot statue of Argentine football legend Lionel Messi is set to be permanently dismantled in Kolkata. Civic authorities and the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) ordered the emergency removal of the massive fibreglass and iron monument following alarming reports that the structure was swaying dangerously in the wind, posing a severe threat to public safety along one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares.

The abrupt removal of the monument serves as a dramatic epilogue to Messi’s highly publicized and chaotic “GOAT Tour” of India in December 2025, an event that left a trail of administrative controversies, fan riots, and political mudslinging in West Bengal.

Structural Compromise and Public Panic

The crisis came to light early this week when residents and commuters along VIP Road in Lake Town noticed the colossal statue visibly shaking and swaying during moderate 24 km/h winds. Given the installation’s proximity to a major roadway, pedestrian zones, and an underground subway, panic quickly ensued. Concerned citizens immediately alerted the Lake Town Police Station, demanding immediate intervention to prevent a catastrophic collapse.

Responding to the distress calls, a team of engineers from the West Bengal PWD was dispatched to conduct a rigorous structural audit. Their findings were grim. The inspection revealed critical structural flaws, particularly at the base of the monument. On-site contractors reported that the foundation bolts securing the heavy iron skeleton were severely compromised, causing the structure’s massive legs to shift unevenly under wind pressure.

With the formidable Indian monsoon season fast approaching—bringing with it torrential rains and high-velocity gales—PWD engineers submitted a formal report concluding that the statue’s structural integrity was beyond immediate repair and highly vulnerable to collapsing. West Bengal legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed the government’s stance, stating, “The statue of the Argentine football legend was found to be unsafe by engineers of the West Bengal government. We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind, and removal has proved easier said than done. We are planning to remove the statue at the earliest opportunity.”

A High-Risk Removal Operation

Dismantling a 70-foot structure on a bustling arterial road presents a logistical nightmare for city planners. While authorities deliberate on the final takedown strategy, emergency stabilization measures have been deployed. Workers scaled the 21-meter high golden-colored statue to secure it by throwing heavy-duty nylon ropes and industrial cables around its shoulders, tying it to nearby stable anchors.

Heavy barricading has been erected around the Lake Town Clock Tower intersection to restrict both pedestrian and vehicular movement. Authorities are currently mobilizing a massive 40-tonne crane and specialized dismantling crews to execute the complex removal. The presence of dense traffic and underground civic infrastructure requires the operation to be conducted with surgical precision to avoid collateral damage. At this stage, it remains unclear whether the monument will be downsized, repaired, and re-erected at an alternative site, or permanently scrapped.

Administrative Lapses and Unapproved Installations

Beyond the engineering failures, the incident has exposed significant administrative lapses within the local civic bodies. According to government sources, the colossal monument was erected on PWD-owned land without the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC). Sree Bhumi Sporting Club, the local organization responsible for commissioning the installation, allegedly bypassed crucial municipal safety protocols during the rush to complete the project ahead of Messi’s arrival.

The statue, depicting the 38-year-old Inter Miami forward hoisting the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy, was constructed in a record time of roughly 40 days by local artist Monty Paul and a team of 45 workers. The haste of the construction, combined with the lack of rigorous civic oversight, is now being blamed for the current safety debacle.

The Shadow of the Disastrous ‘GOAT Tour’

The dismantling of the statue inevitably brings the spotlight back to the deeply controversial Indian leg of Lionel Messi’s tour last December. The Argentine captain visited Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi alongside teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. However, the Kolkata leg descended into absolute chaos, marred by allegations of elite gatekeeping and gross mismanagement.

The main organizer of the event, Satadru Dutta, recently filed a formal police complaint against the former Sports Minister of West Bengal, Arup Biswas. The explosive complaint alleges severe misconduct, including the systemic misuse of VIP tickets and intense political pressure regarding the distribution of exclusive access cards.

This VIP monopolization had dire consequences on the ground. During Messi’s appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium, thousands of fans who had purchased exorbitantly priced tickets were left with obstructed views as politicians and VIPs crowded the staging area. When a frustrated Messi departed the venue earlier than scheduled, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. Angry spectators rioted, vandalizing the stadium, tearing down event tents, uprooting goalposts, and hurling bottles. Police were forced to execute a baton charge to disperse the mob and restore order.