Bhagalpur, Nov. 23: The stage is set to celebrate Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary in the city, but not the venue.

For, the district administration has failed to complete the construction of Rabindra Auditorium, where the Bhagalpur chapter of Bihar Bengalee Association wanted to organise its programme in the bard’s memory on February 12 next year.

In 2008, the Centre had decided to construct auditoria in several cities, including Bhagalpur, to celebrate the Nobel laureate’s 150th birth anniversary across the country last year. Bihar Bengalee Association, however, finalised February 12, 2012 as the date to organise the function for it was on this day that the poet had visited Bhagalpur 100 years ago.

The association of Bengali-speaking people in the town might make big plans to pay tribute to the poet and celebrate his tryst with the silk city, but the auditorium is far from ready.

Senior additional district magistrate Janardan Kumar said the Centre was supposed to provide 60 per cent of the amount required to construct Rabindra Auditorium and the state would provide the remaining 40 per cent.

“We have sent a letter, along with a blueprint of the proposed auditorium, to the building construction department. Two months ago, we had directed them to prepare an estimate for the building. But there has been an inordinate delay. We are mounting pressure on the department to send the proposal to the art and culture department at the earliest for the latter’s nod,” he added.

Several theatre personalities, who have been for long demanding an auditorium in the city, blamed the local administration for the delay in the construction of Rabindra Auditorium.

State minority commission vice-president Dr Dilip Kumar Sinha also expressed concern over the delay of the project. “I will write to chief minister Nitish Kumar, requesting him to take necessary measures for the completion of the auditorium at the earliest,” he told The Telegraph.