Subheadline: A scheduled programme at the Lata Mangeshkar Drama Theatre was cancelled after its air-conditioning system failed, with organisers deciding to refund ticket buyers.
Bhayandar | August 31, 2026
A paid programme featuring musician Amit Tandon was cancelled at Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s Lata Mangeshkar Drama Theatre after the venue’s air-conditioning system failed, leaving organisers to refund audiences who had booked tickets online. The cancellation took place during a holiday period and prompted criticism of the civic administration’s management of the newly built facility.
The theatre, located near the Dahisar check naka, was constructed about two years ago at a reported cost of nearly ₹100 crore. The project was delivered in exchange for development rights certificates issued to a developer, according to the report. Since opening, the venue has hosted commercial theatre productions and private events, contributing to municipal revenue.
The air-conditioning system has reportedly broken down repeatedly. On Sunday, the venue was also scheduled to host an award ceremony for a Ganesh darshan competition organised through an institution associated with Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. Hundreds of people attended the event, during which the air-conditioning system was again found to be non-functional.
The subsequent Amit Tandon programme had been booked through an online application, with members of the audience paying for reserved seats. As the system could not be restarted before the event, the organisers cancelled the programme and decided to return the ticket payments. The cancellation led to anger among spectators, the report said.
The municipal administration said the system had been shut down because of a gas leak. Repairs had been carried out as recently as Saturday, but the equipment stopped functioning again, according to the administration’s explanation. The report did not provide details of the nature of the leak, the repair contractor’s findings or the time required to restore the system.
The incident has also brought attention to the theatre’s maintenance arrangements. The municipal corporation has appointed contractors through a tender process for different maintenance and repair works. However, contractors responsible for the facility’s upkeep have reportedly not received payments for the past year. The report said the delay in clearing their dues was affecting the quality of maintenance work.
Sarnaik criticised the administration after the air-conditioning failure during the award ceremony. According to the report, he told Shiv Sena workers to send a “money order” to the municipal commissioner and mayor if a well-built facility was not being maintained. The municipal corporation’s next steps on the cancelled programme, the refund process and the permanent repair of the air-conditioning system were not detailed in the report.
