Replicas of Rock Garden statues in Shimla renovated, installed outside municipal corporation office

Now, the 10 renovated sculptures adorn the office building of the Shimla Municipal Corporation.Nek Chanda had donated these sculptures to the Shimla Municipal Corporation nearly 25 years ago to be installed at various vantage points in the city.

Replicas of sculptures at Chandigarh's famous Rock Garden, donated to the civic body by the sculptor almost 25 years ago, have been repaired and installed outside the offices of the municipal corporation here over the weekend.

The sculptures were repaired by Anuj Sainia, son of Nek Chand Saini who created the Rock Garden in Chandigarh from scrap material. Now, the 10 renovated sculptures adorn the office building of the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

Nek Chanda had donated these sculptures to the Shimla Municipal Corporation nearly 25 years ago to be installed at various vantage points in the city. The statues, installed in and around Mall Road and exposed to the elements, were in a dilapidated state. Last year, when Anuj Saini visited Shimla, he was apprised of the situation by the civic authorities, following which he decided to renovate and repair the statues for free in memory of his father, said Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashish Kohli.

Ten statues were renovated in Chandigarh using scrap material and installed outside the municipal corporation building. The statues have been placed at one point to ensure safety and maintenance, he added.

Anuj Saini told PTI that it took him almost six months to repair the statues. ''I had also submitted a proposal to the Shimla Municipal Corporation to create a park at a prominent location between the Mall Road and the Ridge to install these sculptures for beautification of the city and even expressed my willingness to create it.

''But there has so far been no correspondence,'' he said.

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