An auditorium with a seating capacity of 500, lecture halls, exhibition hall and an amphitheatre with a seating capacity of 900 are also planned at the siteWritten byAnjali Lukose| Mumbai |Published on:November 9, 2014 9:33 amMaharashtras culture, artwork and cuisine is set to get a major display in the city, with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) planning to set up a kalagram, an artisan village, at Erangle beach at Malad. This project follows another an artisan village project, shilpgram, which is planned by the civic bodys garden cell at Andheri East.Officials from the MTDC said they recently submitted the proposed design of kalagram to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMCs) building proposal department. The project will bring together craft and cuisine from different regions of Maharashtra as well as the country at a 68-acre plot at Malad owned by the MTDC.According to the projectplan, a large circular area will house craft from different parts ofIndiawhile other sections will focus on Vidarbha, Marathwada and Konkan regions.Every zone will have food courts with delicacies from the different regions and the landscape will reflect different cultures found in Maharashtra. The site will have the sandy and thatched roof house structures as found in the Konkan area and cave-like structures will represent Marathwada.Allzones and activities will be well connected by means of pathways, ramps and waterfeatures, said Pradeep Dhore from Designo Architects, the contractor hired by the MTDC for the project.Besides this, an auditorium with a seating capacity of 500, lecture halls, exhibition hall, an amphitheatre with a seating capacity of 900 are also planned at the site.Besides the kalagram, the MTDC officials alsoplanto build a wharf in the area and have earmarked area for a potential resort, but they are not sure of getting permission for construction in an area that falls in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).We will collaborate with Delhi Haat and upgrade the similar projects in Nashik and Aurangabad to boost local art and culture, said Rahul Vasaikar, executive engineer, MTDC.A 15-acre area will be set aside for parking and we want to build the resort to ensure that tourists have a place to rest and enjoy the benefits of living at the beach.Meanwhile, a contractor has been selected for the BMCs shilpgram project in Andheri East and the work order will be issued once the standing committee clears the contractor in the coming week. The village, where traditional folklore can be showcased, will have exhibition areas for handicraft as well as a garden on an 50,000 sqm plot.