Tryst with culture

Spread over an area of ten-acres the proposed Indraprastha Sanskritik Kala Kendra will be a cultural hotspot in Dwarka

Narender Yadav

The recent announcement of the construction of a cultural centre on the lines of India Habitat Centre (IHC) in Dwarka, is a welcome news not only for the residents of the subcity but also West Delhiiites. The lingering Janakpuri Dilli Haat project and already shelved Raja Garden Cultural centre left West Delhiites high and dry of their regular cultural dose. With virtually nothing in the name of a cultural hotspot, residents of this part of Delhi were seriously lacking on the cultural front. It is hopeful that DDA’s new brain child ‘Indraprastha Sanskritik Kala Kendra’ will be able to fill that cultural void. The spacious cultural centre will be located in sector-11, Dwarka and will have art galleries, open air theatres, library, seminar hall and recreation areas spread over in five blocks.

The much talked about centre will be developed as a hub of cultural activities in the capital showcasing various facets of India’s diverse art and culture. It has been planned to have dedicated sections for dance events, puppetry and theatre performances. The visual art galleries will have regular exhibitions and art shows. To organise programmes involving large scale participation of people provisions have been made to construct a convention centre having an auditorium, conference halls, open air theatres and exhibition halls. In addition there is a provision of an audio-visual library also. The building of the centre is based on the principles of green architecture with an eco- friendly design. “In addition to a lot of green area around the campus there will be terrace gardens in the building blocks. Also, there will be ample provision for water bodies, lawns, natural sunlight and rain water harvesting etc,” said a DDA official.

Apart from the space and innovative architecture another plus point of the project is its location.  Situated near the International airport, foreign tourists can reach to the centre easily and is expected to be an important landmark on Delhi’s tourist map, once the centre gets completed. For Delhiites, Metro will ensure smooth connectivity to the centre. Residents of Dwarka also quite upbeat about the new cultural centre. “Dwarka in itself has become a city within the capital. In the last few years Dwarka has seen widespread development in the field of infrastructure, real-estate, security and connectivity. As a result people from different walks of life are making Dwarka their home. Given its vibrant community, made up of people belonging to various cultures and traditions, a cultural centre like this will further add to the popularity of this area,” said Ravikant Duggal, a resident of Dwarka.

The project details and blueprint are ready with the Planning department of DDA and will soon be presented to the screening and technical committees of DDA for the necessary approvals. Finally the project will be approved by the Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna.