Maharashtra CM Allocates Rs 20 Crore to Rebuild Historic Kolhapur Theatre

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced a Rs 20 crore grant for the reconstruction of Keshavrao Bhosale theatre in Kolhapur, which was devastated by fire. Built in 1915 and named after singer-actor Keshavrao Bhosale, the theatre holds significant cultural value. The reconstruction is estimated to cost Rs 25 crore.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday announced a grant of Rs 20 crore to rebuild the iconic 109-year-old Keshavrao Bhosale theatre in Kolhapur, which was gutted in a fire on the night of August 8.

''Police investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. The insurance cover stands at Rs 5 crore. The artistes and residents of Kolhapur want the theatre to be rebuilt as it was. Respecting their emotions, I am allocating Rs 20 crore to rebuild the theatre as a priority. The rebuilding is estimated to cost Rs 25 crore,'' Shinde stated while inspecting the site.

Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha was built in 1915 through the initiative of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, revered for his social reforms and who ruled the princely state of Kolhapur from 1884 to 1922. The theatre, named after the late singer-actor Keshavrao Bhosale, was located in the Khasbag area and managed by the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation.