GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in his social media handle that 'the Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati is all set for an overhaul with a Rs 111-crore plan to upgrade its infrastructure and make it ready as per the requirements of the changing time'.
This statement from the Chief Minister came at a time when there was public disappointment, especially among those associated with culture, over the auditorium remaining closed since June 2022 and the government not yet starting the construction of the new building.
According to the Chief Minister's mention on social media, the Rabindra Bhawan Cultural Complex will have the following key components: (i) a 2B+G+5 structure covering approximately 1,58,786 sq ft; (ii) a 500-seated main auditorium; (iii) multiple smaller auditoriums; (iv) art galleries; (v) a black box theatre recording studio; (vi) office space; (vii) guest rooms; and (viii) parking facilities.
According to official sources, the auditorium under the Department of Cultural Affairs was operational smoothly until 2018. However, the authorities renovated it and opened it for a few days in 2022, only to find seepage of water from walls where there were rains. The authorities closed the auditorium on June 17, 2022, with a notice. Since then, the auditorium has been closed. After that, the state government decided to dismantle the entire Rabindra Bhawan building so as to erect a four-storey building there. The government entrusted the Department of Cultural Affairs with preparing the DPR (Detailed Project Report) of the proposed new building. In 2023, the government formed a committee led by Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah for the construction of the proposed new building at Rabindra Bhawan. Following a decision taken by the committee, the department entrusted a Kolkata-based company to prepare the plan for the building and PWD (Building) to construct the building.
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