MONDAY, MAY 06, 2024
The Kala Academy was known as a historical building of cultural and social significance not only in Goa but across the country. Yes, that is what it should have been known as. But the glory of this architectural piece has vanished. The academy is no longer the Kala Academy designed by India’s great architect Charles Correa, who has a strong connection with Goa. On the pretext of renovation, many changes have been made to the original structure of the Kala Academy, the results of which are now beginning to haunt. There is leakage in the main auditorium, false ceilings are falling, and the internal part of the academy is filled with water. No one can deny that the renovation work is below par. Techton Buildcon Pvt Ltd, a construction firm, was awarded the work order on May 3, 2021, without any tenders being floated.
The Art and Culture Minister, Govind Gaude, while informing the Assembly in July 2022 had stated that the decision was not an individual one, but had the approval of the then cabinet. He had also mentioned that work was undertaken by the Public Works Department (PWD). Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral was holding the PWD portfolio then. When asked about it, Cabral had clarified that the process had been completed before he assumed office. He also said that he had asked for the file and would be in a position to take action only after thoroughly studying the matter. What happened to the file and the study is yet to be known. When asked about the recent incident of leakage and collapse of a false ceiling, the Art and Culture Minister said that Kala Academy has yet not been handed over to the Art and Culture Department. He also claimed that his department had sent several reminders to the PWD for a structural stability certificate and handing over of the building to the Art and Culture Department. Minister Gaude may be technically right, but the Art and Culture Department that looks after the affairs of Kala Academy, cannot distance itself from the main issue.
Minister Gaude has been trolled for likening Kala Academy to the Taj Mahal. The BJP has assured to conduct an inquiry through the Chief Minister after the recent incidents of leakage and collapsing of the false ceiling. We do not know when this inquiry will take place, and nothing much is expected to come out of it either. It is learnt that the company has to take full charge of the maintenance and repairs for the next five years after the completion of the work, that too free of cost. But the question still remains why the report submitted by IIT Madras’ Pro R G Pillai and the Charles Correa Foundation were not considered while renovating the Kala Academy. Prof Pillai and Charles Correa Foundation Goa had conducted a structural audit and submitted two reports to the government. They had mentioned that there was no need to demolish the structure, and it could well be repaired without bringing it down. Also, the repetitive layers of inefficient waterproofing have created an unpleasant dead load that places an unnecessary burden on the structure. In some areas, the severe corrosion of the steel and concrete needs to be addressed. It was also advised to ensure that the quality of work is not compromised by hasty schedules, and that long-term preventive measures be taken to protect the building. However, these recommendations mentioned in the report were not considered and the open-air auditorium of the Kala Academy was demolished.
The Charles Correa Foundation also raised questions about this. But the same Art and Culture Minister was quoted as saying: “Who is Charles Foundation?” The Charles Correa Foundation has released a statement after the recent incident. Despite being the primary source of the history and construction of the Kala Academy, the foundation was not consulted in the entire process. The foundation’s members were not even allowed to enter the Kala Academy premises. “We could have guided and suggested some right options for renovation. However, we were kept away from every step of the conservation and consultation process. Considering the lack of transparency on part of the government, we cannot comment further,” the Charles Correa Foundation stated. But sadly, Rs 59 crore from the State’s treasury have been wasted on substandard craftsmanship.
Charles Correa, who’s considered amongst the world’s topmost architects of recent times, has designed many other famous structures in India, such as the iconic structure of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Museum at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad from 1958 to 1963, BARC’s plutonium plant in Mumbai, Ahmedabad’s tube housing, Bhopal’s Bharat Bhavan and the Kasturba Gandhi’s memorial in Pune. All these structures have been globally acclaimed. Besides, the 28-storey Kanchanjunga Building constructed in 1983, which was the inspiration for the skyscrapers in Mumbai, was also designed by Charles Correa. In such a situation, if the foundation had been included in the renovation of the Kala Academy, there would have been no loss, instead it would have been beneficial. Slabs constructed spending a mere Rs 25-30 lakh do not have leakages these days. But, when a whopping Rs 50 crore is spent on renovation of a structure and it literally starts to crumble, it is a sad and an insult to the artistes, spectators and citizens. The politicians, who pledge to preserve Goa’s heritage, are now expected to seriously consider and act on it.
