A ₹ 25.41-crore cultural centre built to showcase India’s arts, crafts and traditions has remained largely underused for nearly two years, with the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) plan to outsource its operations hitting a roadblock after all four bidders were found ineligible. The proposed lease of Kalagram, located within Pu La Deshpande Garden on Sinhgad Road, has also drawn opposition from elected representatives and civic activists, who want the civic body to operate the facility for public benefit.
However, barring a major Dastkari event, the facility has seen little activity and remained closed for much of the past year. Four private players submitted bids, but none qualified after scrutiny. Inaugurated on October 14, 2024, the facility was envisioned as a cultural hub for performances, exhibitions, handicrafts and regional food festivals. It has been used for only around 100 of the nearly 700 days since it was opened, according to civic sources. The PMC floated a tender in April 2026 to outsource the Kalagram’s operations.
they were subsequently found ineligible, civic officials said, leaving the tender process without an operator for the centre While two bidders initially appeared eligible.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Suraj Lokhande has urged the PMC to cancel the Expression of Interest (EoI) process, alleging that leasing the facility could lead to its commercial exploitation and put it beyond the reach of ordinary residents. He argued that private operators could charge high ticket prices for events, making them unaffordable for middle-class families. Lokhande has threatened to launch an agitation with public representatives and local residents if the EoI is not withdrawn. Lokhande has questioned the decision to lease the facility rather than allow the PMC to operate it for public use. The work includes fixing electrical wiring issues and leakages, maintaining toilets and addressing cleanliness problems.
“Today, the market value of the Kalagram project is more than ₹ 150 crore. The proposed monthly rent is around ₹ 10.54 lakh, according to the project’s rent assessment.
Unfortunately, the PMC is planning to hand over this valuable asset of Punekars to a private third-party organisation on rent,” Lokhande said in a letter to the civic administration. Public infrastructure, he said, should benefit all citizens. He has also said he would approach the Bombay High Court with a public interest litigation (PIL). PMC deputy commissioner Santosh Tengale, who oversees cultural affairs, said repair and maintenance work had begun ahead of a proposed visit by the governor of Japan.
