Delhi LG reviews work at Jai Prakash Narayan library

Delhi's first modern library, the Jai Prakash Narayan library, is expected to be ready in three to four months, according to Lieutenant governor VK Saxena. The library will have a seating capacity of 200 and will house over 3,000 books. It will include a hall for book-related programmes and will have separate areas for kids, researchers, and multimedia. The library is being constructed by the New Delhi Municipal Council at a cost of ₹6.81 crore.

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Saturday reviewed the ongoing work at the Jai Prakash Narayan library at Udyan Marg and said that the library will be Delhi’s first modern library. The library is being constructed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and will house more than 3,000 books with a seating capacity of 200.

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena said the library will be ready in three to four months. (HT Archive)

“The library will be ready in three to four months. Its premises also include a hall where programmes related to books can be held. It is a crucial space for children to form a bond with books,” said Saxena. He was accompanied by the minister of state for culture Meenakshi Lekhi.

The first floor of the library will have library rooms, a kids’ area, a reading area, a play area, and multimedia rooms. The second floor will comprise a room for researchers, an e-library, and newspaper and magazine sections. The fully air-conditioned library building will be on the ground floor and will include an auditorium as well.

The library is coming up over an area of 2,250 square metres and will have three floors of 755 square metres each and will be constructed at a cost of ₹6.81 crore. Central Public Works Department has provided an amount of ₹2.16 crore for the library while the remaining amount will be borne by NDMC, officials said.

Last year in May, NDMC said the contract for work on the library was awarded to a private construction firm. “The residents, students, and school children of Mandir Marg, Valmiki Basti, and Gole Market will benefit from this library,” Satish Upadhyay, vice chairman, NDMC, had said earlier.