Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 17: In a long-awaited breakthrough, the proposed Rangamandira (auditorium) at Bondel, Mangaluru, has received technical approval from the Directorate of Municipal Administration, paving the way for the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) to invite construction tenders.

The official order, marking a major milestone in Mangaluru’s cultural infrastructure journey, has been forwarded to both the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner and the MCC.

The development follows a 35-year-long public demand for a dedicated performance space in the city—significantly reignited by the "Ranga Mandira Bekke Bekku" (A Theatre is a Must) campaign launched by Udayavani on January 28. The campaign galvanised widespread support for the project and helped fast-track official procedures.

The proposed site, located next to the Government Women’s Polytechnic in Bondel, had earlier been submitted to the state by the Dakshina Kannada district administration, along with a blueprint and cost estimate of Rs 9.95 crore. The project secured administrative approval from the Department of Kannada and Culture on February 27.

Subsequently, on March 5, the MCC commissioner submitted a request for technical clearance to the Directorate of Municipal Administration. However, technical discrepancies in the original Detailed Project Report (DPR) led to a directive for revision. The corrected DPR was later re-submitted and has now officially been cleared.

According to the sanctioned plan, the Rangamandira will come up on a 13,152.28 square metre plot in Bondel. The auditorium building will occupy 2,277 square metre, with a seating capacity of 675. The total estimated project cost remains Rs 9.95 crore.

With tendering now permitted, the long-standing dream of a state-of-the-art cultural space in Mangaluru is finally set to move from blueprint to reality.