Mumbai: Mahakavi Kalidas Natya mandir in Mulund was inaugurated by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on July 18 after renovation work. It is cross 15 days for inauguration, still waited for show to play on staged at the newly renovated cultural center.
A senior civic officer stated that BMC is planning whether to hand over the functions to the BrihanmumbaiKrida and LalitkalaPratisthan (BKLP) trust or not. He said, “Various irregularities have been found in the operation of the art center. The trust did not pass any benefit to the civic body which it earned from membership, theatres, functions, etc. The income was not credited in the civic account.”
BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta is the committee member but the day-to-day functioning and administration power is with the trust. BMC takes only capital repairing work. “Small repairing and maintenance are the responsibilities of the trust, but it did not carry out any repairing work. Therefore, small repairing converted into major work and BMC ultimately has to bear the burden. If the trust would have done these repairing works on time-to-time basis, the theatre renovation work wouldn’t have cost BMC Rs .28 crore,” he added.
BJP group leader Manoj Kotak also wrote a letter to Civic Commissioner demanding to initiate a probe on the irregularities by the trust (BKLP trust head AdeshBandekar). Wherein, a committee of two member of Deputy Municipal Commissioner SudhirNaik and Ram Dhas has been formed to investigate the issue.
When contacted AdeshBhandekar head of the BKLP trust he stated that they have not received permission until yet from the BMC. Therefore, no theatres has been started. Once the trust receives the permission letter cultural activities will start again. Another officer from civic body remarked that other trust cannot be appointed as BKLP cannot be dissolved till 2020. Wherein, now Commissioner has the power to take the final decision on it.
After 28 years the theatre renovation work was carried out by BMC which cost them Rs 28 crore. After renovation, the sitting arrangement increased to 1310 chairs of 21 inch each. The auditorium has centralized air conditioned system and fire proof carpet to avoid any future disaster.
