Work on taking down the 70-foot statue of Argentine football legend Lionel Messi in Kolkata began on Monday.
The statue,which Messi had inaugurated on his GOAT tour that turned into chaos in Kolkata, had been swaying in strong winds in recent days.
It had raised serious concerns among residents of the Lake Town area in northern Kolkata.
Police and public works department officers were at the site at the time of filing this report.
The statue has been trussed up with scaffolding and ropes and relocation has been deemed a priority, sources said.
The statue had been secured with ropes since May 25 when it was seen swaying, which sparked discussions over its structural safety and prompted precautionary measures.
PWD officials said the statue's main bolts had come loose, making it sway.
While that problem has been solved, the statue has been deemed unfit to be displayed at the busy junction of Lake Town and will be transported elsewhere.
Residents have filed a complaint at Lake Town police station and demanded that the statue be demolished or shifted immediately to avoid any accident.
Reports suggest the statue will be relocated to somewhere on VIP Road, exactly where is to be confirmed later.