LAHORE, March 30: The extension of the Quaid-i-Azam Library is beginning from Friday under which two underground halls and outer walls will be constructed. This was stated by Punjab Public Libraries Director General Javaid Akhtar at a news conference here on Thursday.

He said the project, to be completed in one year, would cost Rs89 million. The digging would start from Friday, but the chief minister was likely to lay its foundation stone in near future, he said.

Mr Akhtar said the extension project was approved three years ago and funds for it were allocated in the provincial budget for 2006-07. The money had now been released and the project would be completed by the provincial communication and works department, he added.

He said the halls were being constructed to display more books and allow public access to these. Right now only students of masters classes and above can become members of the reference library.

Mr Akhtar said the two 18,000 sqft halls would be built on the right and left sides of the library’s main building.

At present there is a pathway on the right side of the building and a garden on the left, which is also connected to the Bagh-i-Jinnah’s main tennis court.

He said the tennis court would not be touched and roof gardens would be established over the two halls.

Around 30 trees, four of them old, would have to be cut for constructing the halls, he said and added that none of these trees were rare. The roof gardens would match the beauty of the Bagh-i-Jinnah and the library, he said.

Replying to a question, Mr Akhtar said the new halls would be linked to the main library building through underground passages without damaging its structure.

He said the present library building had run short of space for the books. Its main audio-video section was not functioning because of lack of space and only 200 members could sit there.

Mr Akhtar said new trees would be planted over the roof gardens. The extension was approved by the library’s board of governors in its meeting held on February 17, 2003.

He said the existing storage capacity of the library was 100,000 books, which had become insufficient as the number of books had considerably increased with the passage of time. The library’s membership had also risen to 17,000, he added.

The library building was constructed in the middle of 19th century during the British rule. It comprises two halls— the Lawrence Hall and the Montgomery Hall. The Lawrence Hall was built in 1863 which owes its name to Sir John Lawrence, the first Lt Governor of the Punjab and subsequently the Viceroy and Governor General of India. The Montgomery Hall was built in 1866 with subscription of native chiefs of the Punjab in honour of Sir Robert Montgomery. The building was known as old Gymkhana.

The decision to establish the library in the building was taken by the then Punjab Governor Lt-Gen Ghulam Jilani Khan in 1981. It was officially inaugurated by President Ziaul Haq on December 25, 1984.