Long-Pending Narla Auditorium Project to Develop Similar to Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad
The project is expected to serve as a major cultural, literary and artistic centre for the city.
Vijayawada:The long-pending Sri Narla Venkateswara Rao Auditorium project in Guntur, which remained incomplete for nearly 26 years, has been revived with the coalition government initiating reconstruction works under a public-private partnership model.
Union minister of state for rural development and communications Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, who participated in the reconstruction programme, said the auditorium should emerge as a cultural landmark for Guntur similar to Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad.
Originally inaugurated in 1999 by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the auditorium is now being developed by Annamayya Seva Samithi under the PPP/P4 model at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore.
The project is expected to serve as a major cultural, literary and artistic centre for the city.
“Many auditoriums may come up in Guntur, but Narla Venkateswara Rao Auditorium should stand as the city’s cultural symbol,” Dr Pemmasani said.
He said the project was being executed through tender and Expression of Interest (EOI) procedures and would be monitored by an independent engineer to ensure quality standards.
According to the minister, the Guntur Municipal Corporation would receive a minimum guaranteed annual income of `22.50 lakh in the first year, in addition to 14 per cent of the gross annual revenue as Additional Development Premium, with a five per cent escalation every three years.
Dr Pemmasani appreciated the efforts of Annamayya Seva Samithi and recalled the contribution of former mayor Kolli Sarada towards the project.
He expressed confidence that the auditorium would be completed and opened to the public within one to one-and-a-half years.
Guntur West MLA Galla Madhavi said she had prioritised completion of the project after assuming office and had raised the issue repeatedly in the council. She credited Dr Pemmasani’s follow-up efforts for accelerating the project after the formation of the coalition government.
Former minister Alapati Rajendra Prasad described Narla Venkateswara Rao as an eminent editor and intellectual who made notable contributions to journalism, politics and culture.
Later, Dr Pemmasani and MLA Galla Madhavi laid the foundation stone for a retaining wall near Annamayya (Vishnu) Park behind the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at an estimated cost of Rs 1.32 crore.
Officials said the retaining wall would help prevent soil erosion during the monsoon and improve safety around the park premises.
