Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 20: It has been two years since the compound wall to the north side of the open-air theatre, 'Rangamandira' at Beedinagudde here crashed. It has not been repaired since then. The main entrance to the Rangamandira has suffered extensive damage after a lorry crashed against it. As such, the Rangamandira building has turned into a shelter for street dogs and drunkards.

This open-air theatre is located on land measuring 3.5 acres. The urban development authority constructed a compound wall around it five years back at a cost of Rs 98 lac. During the lockdown, the district administration had shifted the daily market to 'Rangamandira' premises. On that occasion, a lorry bringing vegetables from another district had hit the main door as a consequence of which the gate and the adjacent wall fell apart. A fine of Rs 10,000 was collected from the driver concerned but repair work was not conducted. As a result, the street dogs, drunkards and beggars have free passage into the Rangamandira premises.

Due to heavy rain in May 2018, water had got accumulated. As the pipes allowing water to flow out were clogged with dirt, the water had flowed to the northeast, resulting in half of the compound wall on the northern side to collapse. As no one took interest to build this compound wall, shrubs and plants have grown here. The municipality has not repaired this compound wall.

In the past, national festivals like Independence Day, Republic Day, and Kannada Rajyotsava etc were celebrated at Adi Udupi here. As a portion of the land here was used for building helipad, there was a shortage of proper ground. The Rangamandira had provided a solution to the problem. After the Rangamandira was inaugurated on the Republic Day of 2016, all government programmes were held here. In the recent past, Kannada Rajyotsava and Republic Day programmes were held at the Ajjarkad district stadium. Therefore the people are apprehensive about the chances of Rangamandira getting neglected.

A social worker, Raghavendra Prabhu Karvalu, says that compound wall was constructed here as it had given rise to immoral activities and people had held protests. As a portion of the compound wall has collapsed, the Rangamandira is facing the risk of becoming a safe haven for street dogs and drunkards, he pointed out.

Mohanraj, an engineer of the municipality, said that the main gate which was damaged by a lorry would be repaired after the rainy season comes to an end.