Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday reviewed the ongoing construction of the ambitious ‘Kalamanḍal’ auditorium project in Bhubaneswar and issued instruction for early completion of work.
The state-of-the-art facility, set to become Odisha’s largest auditorium, is being developed near Sainik School over 9.85 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 173 crore by the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO).
Officials said the ‘Kalamanḍal’ complex will feature a main 2,000-seat auditorium along with a 500-seat open-air theatre, making it an ideal venue for hosting various government events, conferences, and cultural programmes.
Underlining the need for timely completion of the project, the Chief Minister instructed officials to accelerate the works to ensure the project is fully operational by May 2026. He also advised incorporating comprehensive ancillary facilities for future scalability, including adequate parking arrangements to enhance accessibility.
The meeting also discussed plans for bolstering sports infrastructure across Kenonjhar district. Six key sports projects aimed at nurturing young talent and promoting grassroots sports development were discussed. These include:
– Two modern sports complexes in Ranki and Raikala areas.
– A football stadium integrated with indoor and outdoor gaming facilities at Kali Padia.
– A state-of-the-art swimming pool on the DN High School campus.
– An archery academy at Narangpur.
– A 100-bed hostel dedicated to handball players in Keonjhar town.
These initiatives are expected to transform Keonjhar into a hub for sports excellence, providing world-class training and residential amenities for athletes, officials said.
The review meeting was attended by Minister for Odia Language, Literature, Culture, and Sports Suryabanshi Suraj; Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sashwat Mishra; Principal Secretary, Finance Department Sanjiv Mishra; Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sports Department Sachin Ramchandra Yadav; Secretary, Culture Department Vijay Ketan Upadhyay; and Director of Sports Edula Vijay.