Smart City’s `20-crore Godavari Kala Kshetram fails to serve art and crafts

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. 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 present scenario is ludicrous and objectionable.”He said the smart city officials should release the detailed project report 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.