Govt will release ₹20cr for natyagruha: Ajit Pawar

Kolhapur: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday visited the Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha site and promised state govt will release the Rs 20 crore as promised by chief minister Eknath Shinde for the rebuilding the historic theatre.
The decade-old theatre was gutted in fire on Thursday night. Pawar, who was on a day-long Kolhapur tour, added that if more funds are required for rebuilding the theatre, govt will approve that as well.
The deputy chief minister also met the artists and said that, like them, he too is hurt by the destruction of the theatre.
Ajit Pawar later asked the authorities to appoint architects working in the restoration of heritage structures to draft a design and plan. “The theatre was built using masonry structures, wooden logs, among others. The authorities should keep this factor in mind while rebuilding the theatre. Also, safety issues such as protecting the key equipment and control systems should also be taken into account during the project,” Ajit Pawar said.
Meanwhile, a forum — formed by activists and artists — has demanded a judicial investigation into the incident. However, according to the members of the forum, officials of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation cannot be relied upon for investigating such large-scale destruction.