The Yogi Government in Uttar Pradesh has permitted the conversion of closed cinema halls into commercial complexes. This decision brings relief to the owners of 800 single-screen cinema halls that have remained shuttered for an extended period.
'No objection certificate'
To proceed with the conversion, cinema hall owners must obtain a 'no objection certificate' from the entertainment taxi department. According to the order issued by the Special Secretary of Housing, Uday Bhanu, owners of single-screen cinema halls are now allowed to construct multi-storey commercial complexes on the land previously occupied by the closed halls.
It is worth mentioning that 800 cinema halls in Uttar Pradesh have closed over the last 20 years, and an additional 148 are currently facing closure. GP Singh, the Secretary of the Cinema Hall Owners Association, attributes the closures to the rapid growth of multiplexes.
Although the state government had previously permitted the conversion of cinema halls into multiplexes, this initiative did not succeed. Singh believes that the new order will help single-screen cinema hall owners to survive.
