NSD centre in Bengal trapped in land woes

The National School of Drama which is keen to set up a full-fledged centre in West Bengal is waiting for the state government to respond regarding the availability of land and infrastructure.

According to noted theatre director and NSD faculty Suresh Bhardwaj, though the state government offers assistance for temporary infrastructure, it has, over the years, failed to allot land for a branch of the prestigious drama school.

"We have sent a proposal but they have to respond to us. We are not asking for funds, only for infrastructure. We want some land so that while we are working in this makeshift arrangement, we build our own building and everything within the same complex and then the full-fledged centre can be built," Bhardwaj told IANS here.

"Initially they were giving Minerva theatre to conduct workshops but then things stopped. They offer some building infrastructure but when it comes to land and all, that it stops," he said, adding the situation is same in Goa.

As an example, Bhardwaj cited the NSD centre in Bengaluru for which the Karnataka state government provided eight acres of land.

"Like in Bangalore they have given us one auditorium and some working space so we have started one year course and they have given us eight acres of land so we are going into the designing and once it is done we can have a three-year regular course," he said.

Bhardwaj said other NSD centres are coming up in Gangtok (Sikkim), Agartala (Tripura) and Guwahati (Assam).