Stainless steel could have prevented Shivaji statue collapse: Nitin Gadkari

Amid the controversy surrounding the Shivaji statue collapse in Maharashtra, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari suggested using stainless steel for coastal roads

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Sindhudurg could have been prevented if stainless steel had been used in its construction.

During an event organised by the trade association Ficci in New Delhi, the union minister for roads and transportation suggested using stainless steel for all roads within 30 kilometres of the sea.

"...When I was implementing the construction of 55 flyovers in Mumbai, one person took me for a ride. He put some powder coating on iron rods and said those were rust-proof. But there was rusting…,” he cited the reason for his proposal.

 

At the event, meant to deliberate the scope of tunnel construction projects in India, Gadkari also said he was okay with supporting foreign partners to hold a majority stake of up to 51 per cent in joint ventures for tunnel construction projects. This approach, he explained, would attract serious and qualified bidders.

Statue collapse controversy spirals

The controversial statue collapse of the revered 17th-century Maratha empire founder has triggered a major controversy in poll-bound Maharashtra. The statue, designed and constructed by the Indian Navy at the Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg, came crashing down last week when winds were blowing at a speed of 45 km per hour, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde explained. He also assured that the statue would be rebuilt.

Following the outrage over the issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged that the incident was disheartening and offered his apology to the public during an event in Palghar on Friday.

Steel versus stainless steel: Which is more durable?

Iron is a base metal derived from iron ore (natural mineral), while steel is an alloy composed of iron mixed with carbon and other elements.

Stainless steel essentially contains chromium (normally more than 10.5 per cent with/without alloying elements). It resists corrosion and maintains strength at high temperatures. It has applications in utensils, architectures and automotive and food processing products as well as medical equipment.

German engineering company ThyssenKrupp, while noting the key differences between steel and stainless steel, says that due to relatively higher carbon strength, steel is less likely to break compared to stainless steel.

Steel is known for its durability, but it is susceptible to corrosion over time. It has high tensile and yield strength, making it resistant to breaking or deforming under stress. This unique property makes steel an ideal material for commercial buildings and infrastructure such as bridges, according to ThyssenKrupp.

On the other hand, stainless steel, which contains low carbon content, is softer compared to carbon steel. As a result, it has lower yield strength and is more prone to bending and denting.