The curtains have finally risen at the Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Auditorium in Civil Lines following a Rs 6.29 crore renovation. However, the cultural community’s celebration has been cut short by a massive increase in rental fees implemented by the Public Works Department (PWD). Artistes and organisers are reeling from a nearly three-fold increase in booking costs. A single three-hour slot now costs Rs 35,100, a sharp rise from the previous rate of Rs 12,610. The refundable deposit has skyrocketed from Rs 10,000 to Rs 35,100 per slot. Whereas to secure a performance, organisers must now shell out Rs 70,200 in advance. Beyond the financial strain, the PWD has tightened scheduling.

 

The previous system of four daily slots has been reduced to three (9 am-12 noon, 3 pm-6 pm, and 9 pm-Midnight), significantly limiting the number of cultural programmes the venue can host. Artistes fear these changes will make the auditorium inaccessible to local talent. Citizens argue that such prohibitive costs could shatter artistes’ aspirations and lead to the decline of theatre in the city. While PWD officials justify the hike as necessary to recover the heavy redevelopment expenditure, the project’s history was marred by delays. Initially ordered in October 2024, work only gained momentum in January 2025 following setbacks from elections and legislative sessions. After overcoming structural complications and design delays, the hall finally reopened in March 2026, only to present a new financial barrier to Nagpur’s vibrant arts scene.