HYDERABAD: The already slow paced restoration of the State Central Library is set for further delay as the contractor executing the renovation work has sought a two-month extension raising the possibility of a prolonged discomfort for the readers and visitors at the library in the coming months.
Restoration estimated at Rs 2.33 crore was scheduled to begin in August 2011 and was slated for completion in August 2012. But the works did not take off until October last year. The slow pace of works had inconvenienced readers greatly as the library staff sought to accommodate them even as restoration was in progress. Efforts which seemed to have picked up pace early this year, have slowed down again with the contractor asking for a rework of estimates citing that they are dated by more than a year and costs have gone up.
According to officials of AP Educational and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation overseeing the restoration, works to the tune of only Rs 50 lakh have been completed of which Rs 35 lakh have been released. Currently roof and electrification works are nearing completion while a major portion of the exterior has also been renovated. But work is yet to commence in the expansive reading hall, the binding section and the stock section.
Library authorities told TOI that reader discomfort is currently negligible. "Until recently the leakage from the roof presented a problem. Now that has been addressed as slabs have been laid," said chief librarian Lalitha. When asked how the readers would be accommodated when the reading hall is taken up for renovation, she admitted that works there would cause discomfort and that library may be shut for a while. Library officials also expressed concern over lack of execution of works in an organized manner, indicating that any move to accommodate the readers may prove inadequate.
Sources close to the restoration project revealed that request for reworking estimates is only an alibi. The real problem, they say, is the shortage of skilled labor. "Working on heritage buildings requires experience and there are not many skilled hands available for such works. The contractor was chosen considering the firm's experience in handling such tasks. So he has to train workers for the task and ensure that adequate hands are available to complete the work on time. To complete the work in another four months, four teams are required. If work goes on this way, it cannot be completed even by October."
When contacted, the contractor V Babu of Babu Associates maintained that the estimates required reworking as they do not reflect the ground condition. "The work on ground is deviant from the original estimate prepared. The requirement for material has gone up and some changes were also desired by the library authorities. Even if the total cost of the work does not increase by much, there is a need to rework and get it approved. This may also change the requirement for labor. Work can pick up pace only after the necessary sanctions are given," he said.
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