Japanese firm to build convention centre in Kashi
VARANASI The Japanese company Fujita Corporation has been awarded the contract for construction of a state-of-the art convention centre in Varanasi, an official said.
The proposed convention centre will take shape in 18 months, he added. The estimated cost of the proposed convention centre is Rs 140 crore.
The contract was awarded at an event in Tokyo on Thursday in the presence of senior officials of the Central government, the Japanese government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Project director and Central Public Works Department executive engineer RP Singh, who was present at the event, said over the phone, “Construction of the centre will begin in the first week of July. Fujita Corporation has been chosen to construct the convention centre in Varanasi.”
Thirteen companies took part in the bidding.
The two-story building of the centre will have an auditorium with a capacity to accommodate 1200 people.
The auditorium will have a gallery around it. There will be parking and basement facilities as well.
During their visit to Varanasi on December 12, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had announced Japan would construct the convention centre as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
A Japanese architect Yoko Saka has designed the proposed convention centre.
The design was unveiled in the presence of Modi and Abe in Ahmadabad on September 14, 2017.
PM Modi revealed the convention centre would be named Rudraksha and thanked the Japan government for providing financial assistance for the project.
The two PMs exchanged notes for the construction of the centre and expressed their hopes for its early completion.
Modi said, “You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi.
It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and I when we visited Varanasi together in 2015.”
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