Eight years on, Ghatkopar’s civic-run natyagruha stays shut even as artists, residents call for its revival; According to civic records, the SRA handed over the building to the BMC in 2017
The natyagruha in Pant Nagar, Ghatkopar, has been lying unused for years, despite repeated demands from local residents, artists, and cultural groups to make it operational. The civic body has now decided to invite fresh expressions of interest to operate the natyagruha. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
While residents of Ghatkopar have long waited for their own natyagruha (auditorium), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has failed to open the Pant Nagar natyagruha for the past eight years. According to civic records, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) handed over the building to the BMC in 2017. Since then, the facility has remained shut.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, the auditorium's parking area was used as a polling booth. “The natyagruha was handed over to the BMC under the built-up amenity programme,” said a BMC official. Under this scheme, when a reserved amenity plot is developed, the concerned authority is required to hand over a portion of the plot to the BMC post-development.
The auditorium has a seating capacity of 249. Sources said the BMC attempted to appoint an agency to run the facility in 2022, but the plan fell through due to financial disagreements—the interested party was unwilling to share revenue with the BMC. The civic body has now decided to invite fresh expressions of interest to operate the natyagruha. An officer involved in the project said, “We are working to open the natyagruha soon. As it has remained closed since 2017, some minor repairs are needed. Once that is done, we will invite proposals to manage the facility.”
Locals Speak
Bhalchandra Shirsat, Former corporator
‘It has been 8 years since this natyagruha was handed over to the BMC, but it still hasn’t opened. This is badly needed by local residents—not just in Ghatkopar but also in nearby areas like Vidyavihar and Vikhroli.’
Tejal Vyas, Gujarati artist
‘Auditoriums are a need not only for artists but also for audiences. The BMC must ensure good management, cleanliness, and proper infrastructure like a stage and seating. People are willing to pay, but the service must be up to the mark.’
Sachin Manjrekar, a Pant Nagar resident
‘I don’t understand why the BMC hasn’t opened the natyagruha yet. Ghatkopar doesn’t have any civic-run facility like this. The only one in the eastern suburbs is in Mulund. Even though it’s small, this auditorium would be perfect for local drama and cultural groups.’
Kamlesh Kapasi, committee member of the Jhalawar Jain Sangh
‘We’ve been waiting a long time. Ghatkopar has a rich Gujarati-Marathi cultural scene. A facility like this would benefit both amateur and professional drama organisers.’
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