Demand is strengthening for cancellation of the contract for maintaining the Godavari Kala Kshetram, an entity that was built with Smart City funds in Kakinada.The auditorium has been constructed at a cost of `20 crore in a 17,000 sq-ft area to promote arts and crafts and provide a platform for cultural performances. After the construction was completed, the Smart City Corporation found it difficult to maintain it. It entrusted the job to a contractor, who would have to be paid `1.50 lakh per month for this purpose. The contractor is giving the auditorium for various functions, as it fetches him good revenue. The daily rent is fixed at `2 lakh. Artisans and artists are unable to pay such a high rent for exhibiting their crafts or for performances in the auditorium. The Citizen’s Initiative founder Duvvuri Subrahmanyam expressed his indignation. He said, “If the Smart City Corporation wants to provide facilities to wedding ceremonies, it should construct another facility. The Godavari Kalakshetram was built with a different purpose, namely to give a platform to artists and artisans at a reasonable cost. Otherwise, the concept of smart city and purpose of this auditorium will be defeated.”Civil engineering expert and BJP Kakinada Urban convener G. Satyanarayana criticised the Smart City authorities for creating such a situation. “The purpose of Kala Kshetram is to promote arts, tradition etc, preserve our cultural heritage and help artisans and handicrafts. If the Corporation is unable to maintain it, what was the use in wasting crores for its construction?”The central government’s aim is to hep artisans and artists through the Kalakshetram. Wewould launch an agitation demanding that the corporation cancel the tender issued to the contractor. Rather, this facility should be run by the corporation to serve the purpose for which the Kala Kshetram was set up.“It is not difficult for the corporation to bear an expense of `1.50 lakh per month for the entity’s maintenance. This is meant for the artists, artisans and art lovers among the general public, and not for business. The present scenario is ludicrous and objectionable.” He said the smart city officials should release the detailed project report (DPR) of the Kala Kshetram to enable the public to know what it was originally meant for.CPM Kakinada secretary P Veerababu said that when he contacted the contractor to organise an event for celebration of the BR Ambedkar birth anniversary, the contractor was not willing to reduce the rent and said the auditorium already had another booking for the day. According to Smart City Corporation officials, they found difficulty in finding “proper users” for the auditorium and was hence unable to bear the maintenance cost. Hence, it was entrusted to a contractor through bids.An official of the corporation said whether the auditorium is used or not, a power bill of nearly `50,000 needed to be paid every month. At least five persons are to be employed to maintain it.However, it is said that the auditorium is also not suitable to perform Hindu Marriages since “the seatingarrangements are not properly positioned for the bride and bridegroom” as per Vastu rules. Hence, many were reluctant to book the auditorium for marriage functions.
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