Hidden behind dense trees and agricultural field inside the historic campus of Nagpur Agriculture College lies a massive unfinished structure — the abandoned late Vasantrao Naik Auditorium, a landmark cultural and academic centre for students from rural Maharashtra. The project today stands as a symbol of bureaucratic neglect, administrative fear, and wastage of public funds. About 8 months ago, Agriculture College administration sent a proposal of Rs 18 crore to the Government for the renovation work of this structure, but it has not been sanctioned yet. The Government had chosen land owned by Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth near Jhansi Rani Square for developing 1,200-seat Vasantrao Naik Auditorium.

 

There are four seminar halls with a capacity of 300. In 2005-06, the institution celebrated its centenary year with grand ceremonies under the leadership of the then Vice-Chancellor Dr Sharad Nimbalkar. During the celebrations, the then Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was invited as chief guest. According to university insiders, Pawar asked the administration whether the institution had any special demands befitting its historic legacy. Dr Nimbalkar reportedly highlighted the need for a large independent auditorium where students — especially those from rural farming backgrounds — could develop their cultural and social personalities alongside academics. At the time, the college only had the old VTI Hall with a seating capacity of around 100-150. The hall, built during the British period, had wooden flooring allegedly used for ballroom dancing by British officers and their families. Officials feared that, the aging structure had become unsafe. Responding to the demand, Sharad Pawar announced construction of a modern auditorium with a seating capacity of nearly 1,000 to 1,500 people and sanctioned approximately Rs 5 crore for the project. The proposed structure was named after former Maharashtra Chief Minister Late Vasantrao Naik. Construction began around 2005. The project was envisioned not only as a cultural hub for students, but also as a potential revenue-generating facility for the college. It faced a lot of problems.

 

The work was found illegal as it was on a heritage land marked as open space. ‘The Hitavada’ then raised the loopholes in the construction and Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court took a suo motu cognizance and ordered demolition of the structure. The case later went to the Supreme Court (SC). The College removed all the loopholes and it cleared the matter. SC cleared the case around 2013-14. Meanwhile, the cost of the project escalated and college continued sending proposals with new cost. Sources associated with the university claim that the project repeatedly faced hurdles in the name of permissions, environmental concerns, and objections related to greenery preservation within the campus. As a result, the structure remained abandoned for almost two decades — half-constructed, deteriorating, and isolated. Over the years, reports of theft, anti-social activities, and even criminal incidents have surfaced from the premises. Air-conditioning equipment was allegedly stolen, while the isolated location behind dense vegetation reportedly turned into a vulnerable zone for illegal activities.

 

Despite the deteriorating condition, no major movement or sustained public campaign has emerged to revive the project. The issue recently resurfaced after members of the ‘Agro Vet Mitra Parivar’, a group of former students and well-wishers, visited the abandoned site and documented its condition through photographs. Former student Adv Pranay Parate and his associates reportedly attempted to bring public attention to the issue after witnessing the neglected state of the auditorium firsthand. Citizens visiting the site today can still locate the structure behind the Metro corridor near Jhansi Rani Square, close to the Maharajbag side of the Agriculture College campus.