Nagpur: Expressing concern over the Maharashtra government cancelling its proposed mega amphitheatre in memory of former chief minister Vasantrao Naik at the Nagpur University campus, education minister Uday Samant stressed that it should come up if all the plans were already finalized.
“If it’s coming to NU in the name of a former CM, it would be good for all stakeholders. I will personally look into the issue and talk to the concerned officials,” the minister told TOI during his Janta Durbar on Friday.
Citing NU VC Subhash Chaudhari, TOI had earlier reported on the government’s move to cancel the project which was to have a seating capacity of over 10,000. If completed it would have been the biggest such structure in the entire Nagpur district as per NU officials.
When Samant asked Chaudhari, who was sitting beside him on the fate of the project after TOI pointed it out to him, the latter replied that the government had recently written to him that the project would be shifted to another part of the city, as the existing NU land was insufficient. “We were told that the government had asked the collector and the Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA). According to them, they need more space for the project that also includes a parking area,” he said.
When TOI contacted collector Ravindra Thakare, he said he had no idea on the project or its cancellation from the proposed area at the NU campus on Amravati Road. “I will first get the details and then comment,” he told TOI.
Thakre’s predecessor Ashwin Mudgal had made efforts for a mega amphitheatre and had also readied its beautiful designs from architecture firm Salankar Associates. It was designed to be a happening place with food courts and shops for visitors. Two banquet halls were also proposed on the second floor and as many as 30 suites for guests along with four lifts.
Mudgal had sent the revised designs and plans to the general administration department (GAD) for approval where it was pending for the last couple of years.
Officials expressed surprise at the government’s decision, stating that when everything was ready and NU had agreed to provide additional land for parking, it was unfortunate to shift the project to another place.
JINXED STRUCTURE’S JOURNEY
* Then CM, Prithviraj Chavan announces project in 2011 to celebrate Naik’s birth centenary year
* Earlier, it was planned at Raj Bhavan, but nearby residents opposed it, alleging loss of open space
* They moved Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court after which plan was dropped
* Later, dist administration approached PDKV for land behind Mor Bhavan, but its executive council too opposed it
* Ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis in September 2015 announced that project would come up on NU land
* He also declared that Rs20 crore allocated for the purpose would be released
* Then collector Ashwin Mudgal finalized designs for 10,000 capacity amphitheatre
* It was also supposed to accommodate 2,000 for auditorium-cum-convocation hall for NU
* In 2021, govt decides to shift mega structure to another place