Activities of art, culture in Jammu to suffer
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 12: Expected to be complete by January this year, the repair work of roof at the elite cultural centre of Jammu-Abhinav Theatre, to fix the leaks, is yet to takeoff and this has badly affected the activities of art and culture though some drama and film festivals were organized at this auditorium owing to favourable weather conditions.
Some reputed artists of Jammu claimed that it is nearly over a decade from now that water started percolating from the roof of this auditorium and in between it was also closed for some time.
They also informed that it is the only auditorium in Jammu which is available at very reasonable rates and has almost all the facilities to cater the needs of art and culture events ranging from major to minor ones.
Reliable sources informed that tendering process for the repair work of Abhinav Theatre roof may start within days and technical problems have caused delay in this regard.
They claimed that being an old building built somewhere close to 1975-76, the auditorium needs repair of its roof for fixing the leaks on priority after which all other works of its interiors like white washing, changing of doors, repair of electric circuits etc would commence.
“J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) Secretary, Bharat Singh is very much concerned for the repair work of the auditorium but the construction agency PWD feels that there is no permanent solution in this case,” they said adding: “Even if some company solves the problem with a guarantee that the leaks will not recur for at least 10-12 years, it might also be considered.”
Other sources informed that some 5-8 options are under consideration but none of these has come out to be satisfactory as each of these fixes the problem only for 2-3 years which only mean wastage of money.
“Now the constructing agency-Public Works Department (PWD) is preparing a new report as the auditorium has no pillar and no beam in its roof and the already existing roof has now turned too weak,” they maintained adding: “The construction agency may go for false ceiling above which iron trust will be fixed to hold iron sheets above it.”
When contacted, PWD Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Deepak Puri said that the existing slab placed on the trusts in the hall of Abhinav Theatre has developed cracks from where the water percolates during rains.
“Our Chief Engineer is keenly involved in the project to give some lasting solution for the problem and in this regard we had also invited a consultant from Delhi for his opinion,” AEE Puri said adding: “We have also talked with a waterproofing company whose experts have checked the spot and they are now making a report as to which material shall be used to plug the leaks.”
He claimed that within days it will be finalised as to what shall be done to have a lasting solution for the problem so that art and culture activities may not suffer in Jammu due to leaks at the roof of the auditorium.
Sources also informed that some six months back a budget of Rs. 75 lakh was approved by JKAACL for repair of the roof of Abhinav Theatre.
Secretary JKAACL, Bharat Singh ignored repeated phone calls for his comments on the issue.
However, in October last year he had informed that the administrative approval for the repair work of Abhinav Theatre roof was given from his end along with an amount of Rs. 50 lakh to the executing agency PWD to start the work.
He had expressed confidence that the work might be completed by January 2023.
Singh had also informed: “Earlier temporary arrangement was done but now for permanent solution iron sheets might be laid to cover an area of about 15,000 sq. ft to fix the leaks which also spoiled the renovations in the hall.”
He had also said that apart from the Theatre, other accommodation also has been spoiled due to leaks from the roof in the same complex.
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