Trust to pay Rs60K per month for Garware Balbhavan

Om Charitable Trust that is running Garware Balbhavan for the past 27 years will now have to pay Rs60,000 per month as rent to Pune Municipal Corporation. The civic body’s standing committee took the decision on Monday.

In 1985, the trust started running Balbhavan, spread over two acres near Sarasbaug, and the contract for it was to be renewed after every three years. In 1994, the trust was asked to run the bhavan for 15 years and pay an annual rent of Rs11,015. The term ended in 2009. The PMC then decided to follow its policy about renting out playgrounds or its space by inviting tenders and handing over the property to the highest bidder.

The standing panel on Monday also decided to rent out the playground to the trust by charging a nominal rent.

PMC standing committee chairman Vishal Tambe said, “We had invited tenders and the trust was the only bidder. We had kept the base price of Rs44,388, but Om Charitable Trust submitted a tender of Rs60,000. Hence, the standing committee decided to rent out the area of constructed building at Rs60,000 per month to the trust. The playground will be rented at one rupee per month. The trust though will have to provide the space for PMC for holding any of the latter’s programmes.”

The two-acre prime plot on which Garware Balbhavan stands was in the eye of the storm because of PMC’s insistent attempts to rent it out to the highest bidder and opposition for the same from various quarters.

At Balbhavan, apart from regular evening games, children are also taught karate, roller skating and badminton. Tabla, music and dance classes are also conducted. Besides, camps are held every year during summer. Various special camps are also organised for children.