After row over renovation work, Goa Kala Academy to reopen for IFFI

Panaji : Ahead of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), the Goa government has decided to reopen Kala Academy, which was embroiled in controversies over its renovation, on November 10 to facilitate the event.

Designed by legendary architect Charles Correa and opened in 1970, Kala Academy has emerged as the premier art and culture centre in the coastal state. The main events of IFFI were being held in Kala Academy before its renovation work started.

Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude on Monday addressed a press conference and informed that Kala Academy will be reopened on November 10 by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. “Renovation and strengthening work of Kala Academy was going on since 2021, now after it is reopened it will also be available for IFFI,” he said.

Gaude said that work on the open auditorium, which had collapsed in July, will be taken up. “Because of the open auditorium we can't keep the entire Kala Academy unutilised,” Gaude said. The Goa government had come under attack for allegedly carrying out renovation work costing Rs 49 crore without floating a tender, which was against the CPWD manual.

However, defending the state government's move to nominate a contractor for the renovation work and not float a tender, Gaude had said that even Shah Jahan did not invite quotations before building the Taj Mahal.

"Taj Mahal was built between 1632 and 1653. You know why it is still so beautiful and everlasting? Because Shah Jahan never invited quotations to build it. That is why the Taj Mahal is intact even after 400 years,” Gaude had said. According to the opposition parties, Kala Academy was built 50 years ago at a cost of Rs 4 crore, and now more than Rs 49 crore were spent to repair it.

In July this year the roof of the open auditorium of Kala Academy had collapsed. Subsequently, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had tabled a report stating that the sudden collapse of the roof was due to the corroded steel structure. The government had obtained reports from IIT Delhi, IIT Mumbai, RITES Ltd and the Public Works Department on the roof collapse.