The Andhra Pradesh government’s prestigious Kuchipudi Natyaramam project is in limbo, thanks to the lack of patronage by the State to realise the dream of completing it.
The Kuchipudi Grama Panchayat authorities on Tuesday cancelled the auction of the proposed Natya Pushkarani pond to allow aquaculture in it until the project works resume.
The panchayat authorities invited interested parties/individuals to participate in the auction of the 3.3 acre-pond with ₹5,000 registration fee on Tuesday, leasing out the pond for aquaculture.
However, the auction had to be withdrawn at the eleventh hour following a request from Natyaramam project Chairman K. Anand.
“The contractor stopped the Natya Pushkarini works in early 2017, citing lack of funds. Hence we have filled up the pond with water and decided to lease it out for aquaculture”, Kuchipudi panchayat secretary Ganta Rama Mohana Rao told The Hindu .
As a part of the Kuchipudi Natyaramam project, the State government had sanctioned ₹12 crore for developing the Vedantam pond in the heart of the dance village into Natya Pushkarini in 2015. A deadline was fixed to complete the Natya Pushkarini works by December 2015.
Meanwhile, the Natya Pushkarini works were stalled, owing to delay in release of the funds by the State government.
About ₹1.8 crore was spent on the Natya Pushkarini, in which Sri Siddhendra Yogi statue was proposed to be installed, apart from developing a theme park on the banks of the pond.
On being informed about the auction, Kuchipudi Natyaramam project Chairman K. Anand on Tuesday requested the Kuchipudi panchayat authorities to withdraw the auction. “The Natya Pushkarini works will resume within a month, and ₹3 crore fund is readily available for the project”, Mr. Anand told The Hindu over phone.
The State government has proposed to develop the Kuchipudi Natyaramam project and announced a package of ₹100 crore, but the land for the project is yet to be earmarked till date.
