The much-publicised and long pending plan of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) of having a 25 feet tall metallic art piece on its premises seems to have gathered dust.
The art piece, which was to be created by renowned Delhi-based artist Subodh Gupta, was finalised by the civic body over two and a half years ago. However, the plan continues to exist only on papers as it has failed to materialise owing to the high cost involved in its construction.
Moreover, during the same time, the NDMC had also decided on an annual expenditure of around `5 crore towards installing structures to promote public art across its territory. All its decisions have apparently been scrapped.
With the estimated cost of installation of the stainless steel structure being Rs three crore, the NDMC later found it too expensive for them. “The Tree by Subodh Gupta was proving to be very costly for us. Therefore, we had to drop the plan,” said OP Gupta, Director Project NDMC.
Speaking to The Pioneer in 2011, Subodh Gupta explained that he had opted to create ‘The Tree’ because he wanted to create something to which the people can relate themselves. “The moulding of the tree will be done outside the country as quality of steel is good there. But the leaves and fruits will be prepared in the country with utensils, which is my signature style. The installation will be 25-feet high and have around 20-feet diameter — virtual tree size,” an excited Gupta had said.
The civic body, in May 2010, had approved Gupta’s proposal to create a stainless steel Banyan tree named, ‘The Tree’, and the piece was to be erected in the lawn of the council’s headquarters at New Delhi City Centre (near Jantar Mantar). The Tree was expected to be completed within six months in the year 2011. Now, instead of the proposed metallic tree, a 13-foot marble sculpture called ‘Resurgence’ stands at the same place. The art work is the creation of Neeraj Gupta, a Sahitya Kala Parishad Award winner in 2004. The ‘Resurgence’, Neeraj explained, reflects the relentless spiraling energies of the people in Delhi.
According to sources in the NDMC, the civic body since its declaration of a yearly spending of five crores on public art has not spent a single penny for the same. “A decision was taken for a dedicated fund but no concrete expenditure has made so far,” an official said.
Meanwhile, a few officials within the civic body are skeptical about the practicality of installing different public arts in the city. “We did not pay for the marble sculpture installed last week. The body is not ready to fund for any art work. If the artist gets a sponsor then he would seek advertisement,” they said.