ADVERTISEMENTThe direction was issued during the hearing of a PIL that alleged the statues had come up on government land in contravention of a Supreme Court order. The petitioner argued that in 2010, the apex court barred the construction of any structure, including statues, on public land if it could potentially obstruct public movement. The 70-foot Messi statue on VIP Road was virtually unveiled by the legend on December 13. The World Cup replica held by the statue is eight feet high, taller than Messi himself. The Maradona statue, also in Lake Town, was unveiled by Maradona himself during his visit to Calcutta in 2017.

Source: The Telegraph January 21, 2026 01:40 UTC