The Kala Academy would be closed in view of rectification works, which as per the Chief Minister will be done free of cost by the contractor by October, as per the original agreement. Subsequently, the contract would be terminated and the contractor will be blacklisted. This brings to the fore the questions as to whether in the first place the Kala Academy really required renovations costing more than Rs 60 crore. At this price, a new one could have been built. Having given the contract, presumably without an open tender, was the contractor capable of carrying out the work and were his credentials and earlier works checked out? What was the consultant doing while the renovations were in progress? There are allegations of inferior workmanship as borne out by collapse of a part of the open air-auditorium, water leakages in the main auditorium, poor sound quality and air-conditioners and so forth. The ‘free’ rectifications may not be up to the mark because the contractor is already forewarned of being blacklisted! Anyway, blacklisting may not stop the contractor to return in another avatar.
