Team Herald
PORVORIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday informed the House that work on the restoration of Kala Academy would be “fast-tracked” so that the cultural centre is open in time for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) this year, scheduled in November.
The assurance came after Art and Culture Minister GovindGaude said 50 per cent of the work is completed and the facility should be fully ready by December, this year.
“For the upcoming IFFI, we will see that Kala Academy is open as a venue. Directions will be issued to the PWD to see that the project is fast-tracked,” Sawant said.
Earlier, GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai grilled the Art and Culture Minister on the validity of Rs 50crore-project. He charged that the work order has been issued to Techton Buildcon Pvt Ltd without any tendering process, and just on the grounds of being a “specialised” agency.
The MLA alleged that Central Public Works Department (CPWD) norms were violated while issuing the work order, and that the cost index 2019 was also not followed.
Pointing out that Kala Academy was constructed at a cost of Rs 4 crore, Sardesai questioned the need for spending Rs 49 crore towards its restoration. The MLA demanded that an inquiry through a retired judge be conducted into the restoration project, pending which the finance department should stop releasing payments.
Justifying the need for spending Rs 49 crore towards the restoration, Minister Gaude said that the entire structure was very weak and in deteriorating condition, and there was also seepage of water during the monsoon leading to water logging of the premises.
“Being an engineer by profession, I can firmly say that the design by Charles Correa was faulty. Since it was a faulty design, we have to spend crores of rupees on repairs every year, and now for this major restoration,” he said.
Re-iterating a comment he made two months ago, Gaude asked, “Who is the Charles Correa Foundation to dictate terms to the government?”
He said that when the foundation members were invited for suggestions, they failed to offer any concrete recommendations. “I never said who is Charles Correa… I said who is Charles Correa foundation, and I stand by it even today,” he clarified.
The minister added that fair procedure was adopted while issuing the work order, but admitted that there could be some administrative lapses.
