PANAJI: The Kala Rakhonn Maand has intensified its campaign to hold authorities accountable for the deteriorating condition of Goa’s iconic Kala Academy by staging a protest outside the PWD Head Office in Altinho, Panaji, today. The group demanded an immediate structural audit of the recently completed repair works at the state-run art and culture complex.
Protesters squarely blamed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, former Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, and PWD Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar for what they termed “shoddy, unsafe, and unscientific” restoration work. They alleged that despite multiple requests, the government has failed to provide technical documents, structural designs, or approval details related to the repairs.
“Every time we raise questions or request documents, the response is the same: ‘We will check.’ But nothing moves unless we come out on the streets,” said Kala Rakhonn Maand convenor Devidas Amonkar. “This is not ignorance, it’s deliberate inaction. The task force has been stonewalled for over a year.”
Citing serious structural and functional issues, artists said the Kala Academy, once the pride of Goa’s creative community, is now riddled with flaws. They highlighted cracked walls, poor acoustics, substandard materials like plywood used for the main stage, malfunctioning air conditioning in classrooms, and inadequate soundproofing. These problems, they said, are directly affecting the learning environment.
“There is no sound isolation,” said activist and task force member Cecille Rodrigues. “Violin and piano classes clash, and guitar sessions have been moved above the indoor hall, disrupting performances below. There’s no functioning AC, and during June exams, classrooms were unbearably hot. How can this be the state of Goa’s premier cultural institute?”
The group also questioned the process followed during the renovation. They demanded to know who approved the designs, who supervised the work, and why expert advice was ignored. “The entire repair was done without transparency or accountability,” Rodrigues alleged. “The state has spent crores, but artists, students, and teachers are suffering.”
Rodrigues also drew attention to similar deterioration at other government-run auditoriums like Ravindra Bhavan in Margao. “We are ashamed. We keep boasting about Goa’s cultural legacy and development, yet this is the reality on the ground is broken infrastructure and neglected institutions.”
Adding to this, Kala Rakhonn Maand representative Francis Coelho questioned the intent behind the government’s inaction. “The task force began meeting in September, October, and November last year, but the first samples were only sent to IIT Chennai in March. They’re just not doing anything, deliberately. They’re hiding documents, delaying action, and only respond when we agitate. Then they show one document, and two months later, we have to come back again for another. It’s a cycle of stonewalling. The Chief Minister, the former Art and Culture Minister, and the Principal Chief Secretary are all involved. They are just passing the buck.”
The Kala Rakhonn Maand urged the PWD Principal Chief Engineer to visit the Kala Academy and inspect the premises “as if his own child was studying there.” The group warned of escalating protests if their demands are not met. “We’ve not come out on the streets yet as a full artists’ community, but that may change if nothing is done,” they cautioned.
