Curtains for landmark theatre

Curtains for landmark theatre

September 10th, 2009
By Our Correspondent



Bengaluru, Sept. 9: In a move that is unlikely to go down well with theatre lovers, BBMP plans to demolish a well loved landmark of the city, the Puttanna Kanagal theatre in Jayanagar, to make way for a commercial mall and multiplex and a multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility, according to official sources.
The theatre is all set to be razed to the ground for a 10-storey multi-level car parking facility with a capacity to hold 600 cars and 400 two-wheelers besides the commercial complex-cum-multiplex, sources in BBMP said.
Previous attempts to convert the Puttanna Kanagal theatre into a temporary police station had angered people in the area. Top film producers and directors have been seeking its revival to encourage Kannada films. It is unclear what their reaction will be to this latest decision of BBMP, whose market cell is likely to oversee the Rs 50 crore project. It has been planned considering the immense demand for commercial activity and parking facilities in Jayanagar, sources said.
BBMP hopes to raise loans through financial institutions or from Hudco for the project, which is likely to be completed in three years from the time of launch, they added.
On the cards is not just demolition of the theatre but also the Janata Bazaar nearby, giving BBMP at least 60,000 sq. feet of plinth area to develop the new complex in. It plans to run and maintain the multiplex and lease or auction the office premises on it to repay the loan. It hopes to raise revenue from the parking lots, sources added.
As the complex is likely to attract a large number of people, it has been proposed to provide wider roads to accommodate them as well as the buses in the area within a three kilometer radius around it.
Sundaram Consultants is said to be preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the complex.