Come monsoon, and there is a high possibility that parts of the decades-old State Central Library at Afzal Gunj may cave in.With its huge halls and high ceilings, the Osmanian-style edifice is now left to the vagaries of nature, as its restoration project seems to have hit a roadblock. The structure, constructed in 1936 after the library was moved from the old General Post Office building at Abids, is now a just shadow of its glorious past.
The signs of incomplete work are visible all over, with the walls chipped off and the roof left exposed for want of re-plastering.
And with the restoration work stopped midway, a hard spell of rain might lead to water seepage, weakening the imposing structure, Ms Anuradha Reddy, of Intach, warns.
“The interest of the building is paramount,“ she stressed. “I have seen the progress of work, and it is anyone's guess when the roof will be re-plastered.“ With the monsoon less than two months away, she said, there was a danger of collapse -a concern shared by several other experts as well.
Mr Kedarnath, a regular visitor to the library, said: “It is a pity such a magnificent structure is in such a condition.“
The AP Educational and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation had awarded to Babu Associates the contract for the project after tenders were called in April 2011. The restoration work, estimated to cost `2.33 crore, was scheduled for completion within 12 months.
“Works were taken up last year and should have been completed by now,” C.H. Pulliah, director, public libraries, said.
However, Mr Babu, the contractor, said the authorities did not hand over the library site in time, which primarily had led to the delay.
Besides, he claimed,
“We needed to make certain deviations from the original plan in tune with the revised rates.” APEWIDC executive engineer K.
Murthy admitted that there was a delay in the work. “I will visit the site on the last week of April, and if there is no satisfactory progress, appropriate penalty will be imposed on the contractor,” he said.
City historian Mohammed Safiullah, an expert in Deccan heritage, said the government should be “sensitive” about heritage structures in the city. “Left in a lurch, the State Central Library, with its priceless manuscripts and countless books, is a shining example of the apathy towards heritage structures,” he pointed out.
Most conservation projects run off steam primarily due to lack of skilled labour as also financial crunch, Ms Anuradha Reddy of Intach said.
Moreover, technology has led to a telling change in the restoration process. “(Now) you find machines being preferred (for restoration work instead of traditional craftsmanship),” S.N. Murthy, chief conservation architect, Kshetra Consultants, said.
Contractors and builders have said they are equally hard pressed. “Most heritage structures were built with lime mortar. It is a big challenge to find specialists in lime work,” said one contractor.
Mr Murthy also called for a revival of traditional masonry and carpentry in restoration projects.
