The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : State Central Library to sport a grand look again

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 06, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

State Central Library to sport a grand look again

T. Lalith Singh

Funds to be provided to restore the heritage structure's glory

LOYALTY PAYS!: Readers browsing books at the library. — Photo: Satish. H

HYDERABAD: Crumbling edifice, creaking staircases and caving roof will be a thing of past at State Central Library at Afzalgunj what with the State Government agreeing to provide funds to restore the heritage structure's glory.

Located on the bank of the river Musi, the sprawling library complex built in 1891 has been decaying for want of attention for the past several decades. The walls have been peeling, the exterior having withstood the vagaries of nature for so long. The interiors of the multi-storied complex too have deteriorated.

Estimate accepted

But scores of students and book lovers who rely on the library for their learning and literary pursuits can take heart in the news that the Government has finally consented to cast a benevolent look at the structure.

According to the Director of Public Libraries, S. Ravi Kumar, the work on restoring the structure will be taken up soon as the Government has agreed to the long-pending proposal. P. Krishnaiah, Secretary School Education, recently visited the library and agreed on the need for a facelift to the building and strengthening it. The estimate for the restoration work prepared by the Roads & Buildings has also been accepted, says Mr. Kumar.

The work on providing air-conditioning at the reading halls of the library will start shortly and necessary budgetary allocation has been made for the purpose. This apart, a separate section for compact discs on wildlife, environment, agriculture, health and such subjects and adequate computers to browse them is coming up here.

Mr. Kumar rejects suggestions that reading habits have taken a beating following the invasion of television channels and Internet. In fact, the membership at different libraries and the number of readers visiting to browse the material here has been on the rise.

"Membership at our libraries has gone up from 9.05 lakhs in 2003-04 to 9.48 lakhs this year," he points out.

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Andhra Pradesh