A ₹25.41-crore cultural centre built to showcase India’s arts, crafts and traditions has remained largely underused for nearly two years, with the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) plan to outsource its operations hitting a roadblock after all four bidders were found ineligible. The proposed lease of Kalagram, located within Pu La Deshpande Garden on Sinhgad Road, has also drawn opposition from elected representatives and civic activists, who want the civic body to operate the facility for public benefit.
Inaugurated on October 14, 2024, the facility was envisioned as a cultural hub for performances, exhibitions, handicrafts and regional food festivals. However, barring a major Dastkari event, the facility has seen little activity and remained closed for much of the past year. According to civic sources, it has been used for only around 100 of the nearly 700 days since it was opened.
The PMC floated a tender in April 2026 to outsource the Kalagram’s operations. Four private players submitted bids, but none qualified after scrutiny. While two bidders initially appeared eligible, they were subsequently found ineligible, civic officials said, leaving the tender process without an operator for the centre.
The proposed lease has divided elected representatives. While some favour handing over the facility to a private operator for 30 years, others want the PMC to retain control and run it directly. The civic body has begun minor repairs and maintenance at the centre.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Suraj Lokhande has urged the PMC to cancel the Expression of Interest (EoI) process, alleging that leasing the facility could lead to its commercial exploitation and put it beyond the reach of ordinary residents.
{{/usCountry}}Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Suraj Lokhande has urged the PMC to cancel the Expression of Interest (EoI) process, alleging that leasing the facility could lead to its commercial exploitation and put it beyond the reach of ordinary residents.
{{/usCountry}}“Today, the market value of the Kalagram project is more than ₹150 crore. Unfortunately, the PMC is planning to hand over this valuable asset of Punekars to a private third-party organisation on rent,” Lokhande said in a letter to the civic administration.
He argued that private operators could charge high ticket prices for events, making them unaffordable for middle-class families. Public infrastructure, he said, should benefit all citizens.
Lokhande has threatened to launch an agitation with public representatives and local residents if the EoI is not withdrawn. He has also said he would approach the Bombay High Court with a public interest litigation (PIL).
The proposed monthly rent is around ₹10.54 lakh, according to the project’s rent assessment. Lokhande has questioned the decision to lease the facility rather than allow the PMC to operate it for public use.
Civic activist Vijay Kumbhar said the centre should serve the purpose for which it was built, with the PMC publicising its availability and organising events there.
“The facility should be utilised for the purpose for which it was built. The civic body should advertise it. People struggle to find halls for programmes and such events, yet a facility like Kalagram remains underutilised,” Kumbhar said.
He warned that outsourcing Kalagram could trigger similar demands for other halls in PMC-run gardens.
PMC deputy commissioner Santosh Tengale, who oversees cultural affairs, said repair and maintenance work had begun ahead of a proposed visit by the governor of Japan. The work includes fixing electrical wiring issues and leakages, maintaining toilets and addressing cleanliness problems.
The centre has an amphitheatre with seating for 605 people, a food court, shops, internal roads, footpaths and parking facilities. It was designed to host dance, drama, music, literature and other cultural programmes representing different parts of India.