Hyderabad: The popular State Central Library in Afzalgunj will get a complete facelift before the commencement of monsoon with Hyderabad district administration taking up renovation and restoration at a brisk pace. The restoration works that were started seven months ago were expedited in the larger interest of hundreds of visitors who throng the library every day to read textbooks, magazines, newspapers etc., and the administration is hopeful of completing the works before the onset of monsoon. “We are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring the same look of the library after completing the restoration works. Priority was accorded to repair cracks and railings and address issues related to seepage, plumbing, electrification and sanitation,” Chief Librarian PGV Rani told Deccan Chronicle on Tuesday. She further explained that the repairs on the terrace have already been completed. “We are taking up repair works without causing any inconvenience to visitors, especially students who are preparing for various competitive exams,” she said. On Tuesday, Hyderabad District Collector Anudeep Durishetty reviewed the ongoing repair works at the library after making a surprise visit. He inspected all the departments of the library. Stating that the repair works were undertaken at a cost of Rs.5.5 crore, he assured that the work would be completed expeditiously before the onset of the monsoon. When Anudeep Durishetty asked whether the library had books related to competitive exams in Telugu and whether the library needed any more books, the Librarian said that it has as many as 5.31 lakh books of various languages. Anudeep Durishetty suggested that the required books be arranged for candidates who are preparing for UPSC exams. He also spoke to the candidates preparing for competitive exams and asked them if they had enough books to study. He said that the candidates appearing for the competitive exams should set goals and prepare for exams, and added that libraries should be a repository of knowledge He instructed the library officials to submit proposals for the urgent needs of the library to meet the requirements of students. According to officials, the library building was constructed in an area of 2.974 acres at a cost of Rs.5 lakh under the supervision of the then State architect and designer Aziz Ali and the foundation stone of the building was laid in January, 1932 mainly at the instance of the then Nizam Mir Osman Ali. The construction was completed and the Asafia library was shifted to this building in 1936 to mark the silver Jubilee of Nizam the VIIth. The architecture of the building is reminiscent of good old king’s palaces with huge halls and high ceilings. The aerial view of the building resembles an open book.
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