Seven years after proposal, art and cultural complex project revived in Gurugram

The tenders for the project are likely to be floated by the next month, and the actual work to be commenced from December, said officials on Friday

Nearly seven years after it was first proposed, the arts and cultural complex project of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has now been revived, with the tenders for the project likely to be floated by the next month, and the actual work to be commenced from December, officials familiar with the development said on Friday.

The entire design of this project has been inspired from India Habitat Centre (IHC) in Delhi, Dilli Haat in Indian National Airways (INA) Market, and Ravindra Natya Grah auditorium in Indore, said the officials. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

According to MCG officials, the design of the arts and cultural complex in Gurugram Sector 53 has been inspired by India Habitat Centre (IHC) in Delhi, Dilli Haat in Indian National Airways (INA) Market, and Ravindra Natya Grah auditorium in Indore.

Spread across seven acres, the complex will have an auditorium, open-air theatres, restaurants, art galleries, rest houses, pantry area and parking spaces, and a dedicated space for setting up an open market, food court and craft market along the lines of Dilli Haat.

According to the MCG officials, a consultant of the civic body made a presentation on the design and concept of the project before senior MCG officials at its Sector 34 office on Thursday evening, and its detailed project report was approved. “Following the presentation, MCG commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja and I, together, examined various aspects of the project’s detailed notice inviting tender (DNIT), detailed project report (DPR), estimates and technical sanctions among other such issues. All of these have been approved and will be taken up on priority,” said TL Sharma, chief engineer of MCG.

Sharma also said that the project is estimated to cost around ₹210 crore.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced the establishment of the arts and cultural complex in 2015. The state government had given administrative approval for the project in September 2019 for ₹194.95 crore.

“There were some technical issues with the previous concept. The entire project has been designed and planned afresh with new estimates. The consultant has also made changes in the DPR accordingly, and the commissioner has also given his approval to it,” Sharma added.

There is a dearth of arts and cultural spaces in the city. The last public cultural centre in Gurugram was the 200-seating capacity Bal Bhawan auditorium in Sector 4 where the MCG showcased its weekly culture performances. The auditorium was shut in February 2018 as it was in a dilapidated condition, and is now under renovation.

According to a senior MCG official privy to the matter, the MCG’s consultant will submit the design plans and concept in writing by the next week, following which, they will initiate the tendering process. “The project is in its final stages. The MCG will issue tenders to hire contractors within the next 15 days. According to the concept, art galleries, auditoriums, open-air theatres, rest houses for artists, restaurants, pantries and parking spaces will be set up. Spaces have also been earmarked to set up food plazas, cultural and crafts shops like the ones in Dilli Haat. The cultural complex will be one-of-its-kind in the city,” said Vivek Gill, superintendent engineer of MCG, who is overseeing the project.

Gill said that the entire design of the project was inspired from IHC and Ravindra Natya Grah auditorium in Indore.

In regards to private cultural spaces, the Epicentre in Sector 44 was the city’s cultural and social hub from 2008 till January 2017, hosting exhibitions, song festivals, plays, dance performances and stand-up comedy shows among other such events. In October 2018, it restarted as an “apparel house”.