FRIDAY, JULY 05, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Barely three weeks after the refurbished Pai Tiatrist hall at Ravindra Bhavan Margao (RBM), reopened, concerns have been raised over water leakage from the ceiling onto the stage and water seepage in the canteen area located in the annexure building.
Recalling the recent events, the RBM’s Pai Tiatrist hall, one of Goa’s most sought-after auditoriums for tiatrs and other events, was closed from April 18, for renovation works.
The revamped and refurbished hall reopened on May 22, 2024, and initially, the tiatrists who stage regular shows at this venue had expressed satisfaction with the quality of works and upgrades.
However, the recurring incidents of water leakage, which began a few days ago, along with water seepage in the canteen area, have dampened the enthusiasm. The canteen, too, was recently reopened after being closed for a few years.
RBM chairman Rajendra Talak, under whose tenure the auditorium repairs and canteen revival were undertaken, promptly addressed the public’s concerns, assuring that no tiatrs or other events will be halted.
“The PWD conducted an inspection on Saturday, and repair work, including waterproofing of the auditorium, annexe building (canteen), and related works, will be completed soon,” said Talak.
He explained, “Prior to this, the tender for repairs was already awarded, but due to the Election Code of Conduct, the works couldn’t commence earlier.”
“I am personally monitoring the situation, and preliminary measures are being undertaken to address the current issues promptly,” Talak added.
He assured that PWD would complete the work during suitable breaks in the tiatr/drama and public event schedules, considering the monsoon season.
“We are ensuring that no tiatrs are affected, and care is being taken to ensure minimal inconvenience to everyone,” said Talak.
He acknowledged that the building, constructed in 2008, requires substantial maintenance, and with the rains, the process might take longer.
While Talak hoped to resolve the issues within two months, tiatrists questioned why the waterproofing work couldn’t have been executed during the recent repairs, especially given the impending monsoon season and similar problems faced by other government auditoriums like Kala Academy in Panjim.
They pointed out to the temporary measures like laying carpets during shows to cover wet areas and using buckets to collect water when no events are scheduled, followed by cleaning the stage.
Tiatrists also complained about the inconvenience caused to the public by the wet floor in the canteen area.
“The water leakage in the auditorium and canteen is concerning us,” said tiatr director Pascoal de Chicalim. “It seems the dreaded disease of leakage has spread from Kala Academy in Panjim to the Pai Tiatrist hall in Margao too. After the naming and shaming of the Taj Mahal - Kala Academy in Panjim, now the Konkan Mahal - Pai Tiatrist hall of Xaxtikars, is in the news. Konkan Mahal was recently renovated and reopened hardly fifteen days ago, so why is this happening when the monsoon commenced? What will be the State of Taj Mahal and Konkan Mahal at the end of the monsoon? Today, one show at Kala Academy was also cancelled due to a red alert, but that may not be true, as I believe Taj Mahal is still weeping.”
Pascoal further expressed concerns about a perceived hidden ploy to stop tiatr performances in government auditoriums and gradually eliminate tiatrs in Goa to suppress songs or stories opposing government policies. However, he believed that RBM chairman Rajendra Talak, a dramatist himself, “will address the problem professionally and ensure such errors do not occur again at the prestigious Pai Tiatrist hall”.
