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Renovation at Lucknow’s BNA auditoria yet to end as deadlines pass months ago
The renovation of BM Shah Auditorium began in 2024, while work on the Raj Bisaria Thrust Auditorium began in April 2025
City theatre artistes and theatre buffs remain the hardest hit as the renovation of the BM Shah Auditorium and Padma Shri Raj Bisaria Thrust Auditorium at the Bhartendu Natya Academy , is yet to end, even though the deadlines passed months back.
The delay has created problems for the academy and theatre artists - while on one hand the number of theatre performances have decreased in the city, on the other hand, it is getting difficult for students of Master of Dramatics Art when learning stagecraft and stage design.
The renovation of BM Shah Auditorium began in 2024, while work on the Raj Bisaria Thrust Auditorium began in April 2025. The executing agency had assured that BM Shah Auditorium would be handed over by August 2025 and the Raj Bisaria Thrust Auditorium by September 2025.
BNA director Bipin Kumar, said that the academy is set to begin Golden Jubilee celebrations and is only waiting for the handover of the auditoriums after renovation.
“A complete roadmap has been prepared to celebrate the Golden Jubilee over a year, but in the absence of auditoriums, the formal inauguration of the celebrations is not possible. The academy had also planned to organise a theatre festival as part of the Golden Jubilee year, the plan for which is also kept on hold,” said Kumar.
Due to the non-availability of auditoriums, the academic activities of the academy are also being affected, said Kumar. “Students require auditoriums from time to time for stage performances as part of their training. As a result, the academy is compelled to book Sant Gadge Ji Maharaj Auditorium of UP Sangeet Natak Akademi or Kalamandapam Auditorium of Bhatkhande because practical training in stagecraft can only be imparted in a proscenium theatre. Besides, after the formation of the repertory, the academy had set a goal of staging theatre performances for city audiences every weekend, but this is not possible due to the lack of auditoriums,” Kumar added.
Construction and Design Services (UP Jal Nigam)’s resident engineer, Lavkush Verma said, “The work on the BM Shah Auditorium has been completed and it is expected to be handed over to the academy in January. The construction of the Thrust auditorium and the remaining building is expected to be completed by the end of February.”
