Cultural capital of Telangana awaits State auditorium

Warangal: Albeit Warangal is touted as the cultural capital of Telangana, travesty is such that it did not even boast of a single convention centre that hosts cultural activities of local artistes. However, the government proposed to construct a Mini Ravindra Bharathi in the city 11-year-ago, the project is yet to see the light of day. 

Understanding the rich cultural heritage of the region and requirement of a dais for local artistes, the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy performed bhumi puja for the construction Mini Ravindra Bharathi, a multipurpose cultural complex, at Pochamma Maidan in the city on March 11, 2007 at a cost of Rs 4 crore.

To make way for the cultural complex, the authorities even dismantled a building belonging to Department of Labour. The work on cultural complex that would have completed within one-year as per the plan did not get along due to lackadaisical approach of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. 

However, the then Minister for BC Welfare and Warangal East MLA Basavaraju Saraiah who took the initiative to revive the project laid foundation stone on October 11, 2013. It was also proposed at that time the cultural complex would be named after popular mimicry artiste Nerella Venumadhav, whose residence is just a few paces away from the facility. 

Thereafter, the work on cultural complex that progressed to pillars level again fell out of government’s favour. Speaking to The Hans India, Congress city working president Rajanala Srihari, who had led protests in the past demanding that the State government resume the works of the cultural centre said, “This shows the lackadaisical approach of the people’s representatives who have no guts to pursue Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for funds.” The then Minister Basavaraj Saraiah who is now in ruling party has to take initiative to complete the cultural centre, he added. 

Meanwhile, it is learnt that delay in release of funds forced the contractor to abandon the works. Thereafter, the Telangana government which initiated the work on Rs 50 crore multi-purpose cultural convention centre, Kaloji Kalakshetram, designed by the noted architect Hafeez Contractor, in Hanamkonda, totally forgot about the one at Pochamma Maidan launched in the Congress regime during the undivided Andhra Pradesh.