The 70-foot statue of football icon Lionel Messi installed on the busy VIP Road corridor in Kolkata’s Lake Town will first be secured with heavy-duty cables as part of its relocation, according to authorities. Then, a 40-tonne crane will hold it in position while workers carefully cut the iron framework near the statue’s leg supports, allowing them to lift the statue away in one piece.
The statue installed just five months ago has now become a public safety hazard. Following reports that the massive structure was visibly swaying during recent winds, the Public Works Department (PWD) has ordered its immediate removal and relocation.
The PWD’s response followed complaints from local residents on Monday. A subsequent structural inspection by PWD engineers found that the statue’s structural integrity was severely compromised, prompting an immediate intervention to stabilise it.
As a temporary fix, the giant fibreglass-and-iron structure has been bound to its base using heavy-duty nylon ropes tied at six to seven points around its waist. The local administration has erected barricades and closed one vehicular access route leading out of Lake Town to prevent pedestrians and motorists from entering the potential impact zone.
On Tuesday, PWD engineers, structural experts, and the original sculptor, Mintu Paul, held consultations to map out an extraction strategy that avoids damaging the artwork or blocking the heavy, airport-bound traffic on VIP Road.
According to PWD sources, the road behind the statue is too narrow to accommodate the cranes needed to remove such large statues. Also, there is a subway just a few meters away from the statue that should not be damaged or affected in any way. This raises the question of how to proceed without affecting the subway.
The authorities are currently exploring alternative locations for the statue’s relocation. According to an official, places such as Eco Park and Rabindra Sarobar are being considered. A final decision on the relocation is expected to be announced within a day or two.
A PWD official said that they held a meeting with Paul to discuss methods for safely dismantling the statue without causing any damage, as well as how to transport it afterwards.
The engineers are currently assessing whether lowering the height of the concrete base could reduce the risk. Sources indicate plans to reduce the base height from 20 feet to 5 feet when the statue is relocated.
The 70-foot statue depicts Messi lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy. Paul and his team famously completed the statue in a record-breaking 40 days. The Inter Miami star himself officially inaugurated the installation in December 2025 during his GOAT India Tour.