Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Shockingly, the state government has decided to spend more than Rs 10 crore to undertake the further renovation of the already renovated Kala Academy.
The government has already spent almost Rs 70 cr on the renovation project. However, it is now been decided to put in an additional Rs 10 cr to take up repair works for the renovated facility.
It is been learnt that PWD has Already issued a contract last month worth Rs 47 lakhs to clear the debris of the roof which collapsed, last year.
The newly renovated Kala Academy was opened to the public in November last year and since then the alleged substandard works have been exposed.
The opposition has repeatedly termed the project a major scam.
In December 2023, the mirror in the green room collapsed a month after it was reopened. Before that on July 17, 2023, the roof of the open auditorium of the Kala Academy had collapsed.
Designed by architect Charles Correa and started in 1970, the Kala Academy has emerged as the premier art and culture centre of the coastal state.
The Goa government had come under attack for allegedly carrying out renovation work at Kala Academy costing Rs 49 crore without floating a tender, which was against the CPWD manual. It took almost three years to finish the renovation work.
The Opposition parties have been raising doubts since the beginning about the quality of work that has been undertaken. The government has spent over `50 crore to renovate the Kala Academy.
It may be noted that the renovation work of Kala Academy landed in controversy soon after it was taken up
Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude has been at the receiving end, as the Opposition has always been terming the work a big scam and claiming that corruption was involved in it, as the work was taken up without floating a tender; instead, an agency was appointed on nomination basis.
