Aurangabad, Dec 18:
The municipal corporation has decided to demolish the Nehru Bhavan building and develop a commercial complex on the lines of the complex near TV Center. A year ago, the general body approved the proposal. A project plan is being prepared by the Delhi agency. The trade complex will be set up at a total cost of Rs 30 crore. In particular, The corporation is likely to get Rs 15 crore from the central government.
Municipal administrator Astik Kumar Pandey informed about the project plan of Nehru Bhavan in a press conference on Friday. The Nehru Bhavan was erected about forty years ago as a part of the cultural movement. Many concerts, dramas, mushairas and ghazals were performed by renowned artists. But for the past few years, the building was not in use. The open space here is being used for weddings, private ceremonies. The maintenance of the building costs more than the income. Therefore, the proposal to demolish the building and build an auditorium, ceremony hall and commercial complex in its place was approved in the general body meeting a year ago. Thereafter, the municipal corporation appointed a Delhi-based agency to prepare the DPR through a tender process. Pandey said that DPR of Nehru Bhavan is being prepared by an experienced agency from Delhi. The total cost for this work is Rs 30 crores. Out of this, Rs 15 crore will be provided by the central government through a special scheme. The remaining fund of Rs 15 crore will be raised by the corporation.
Double the cost of the prior project
The area of Nehru Bhavan is 4,050 square meters. The plan initially had 26 shops, 24 commercial offices, auditorium, banquet hall, and parking lot. Assuming the expected cost of around Rs 13 crore as per the Public Works Department, it was being estimated that the corporation would get the expected income of Rs 17 crore. But now Rs 30 crore are being spent on construction.