Kala Academy facelift to be complete by Nov-end: Gaude

Panaji: Amid criticism over irregularities in the Kala Academy renovation work, art and culture minister Govind Gaude said on Saturday that the tendering process was carried out by PWD, and not his department. Gaude said that November-end has been set as the target for its completion.
“The tender has not been floated by the department of art and culture or by Kala Academy,” he said. “It was done by the PWD. You can direct any questions about the work to the PWD. It is totally their prerogative. A cabinet decision was taken clearly stating that the PWD should take a call regarding this work.”
Last month, the directorate of vigilance recommended that the state government constitute a technical expert committee to probe the alleged irregularities and corruption in the renovation of Kala Academy, following multiple complaints.
The Kala Academy building is being renovated at a cost of Rs 56 crore.
“After consulting PWD officials, our effort is that by November-end, the work should be completed. I am also in a hurry to complete the work at the earliest. But the finer finishing touches take time, and we cannot do it in a hurry, that is what PWD has told us. We have set a time for them accordingly. We do not want to hurry them and then don’t want them blaming us that the work went wrong as they were hurried. So they have set the time of November-end,” said Gaude.
The government had initially decided to demolish Kala Academy, but after opposition from the Charles Correa foundation, the decision was changed to renovation. The high court had also intervened in the matter.
At the monsoon assembly session, Gaude created a stir by making a rather unusual comparison of the Kala Academy renovation to Shah Jahan and the Taj Mahal, to illustrate how a government project can be done without floating tenders.