Recently, The Hitavada published a report regarding an abandoned library in the Binaki Mangalwari area, built around 2015 but that never had the fortune of opening for the students. The readers of the paper have reported another such library waiting for its opening in the Untkhana area, the Haribhau Awale library, situated behind Arihant hospital. Built on Public Utility Land (PUL), ‘The Hitavada’ found the structure of the building standing tall in all its glory, looking all set to be opened. Sapna, a student from nearby Rambagh area who prepares for competitive exams while also working as housemaid to make the ends meet is waiting for the library to open soon.

 

“This library is ready for last three to four years, if this opens I can come here and study instead of having to go to expensive reading rooms,” stated Sapna. Late Kundanlal Gupta library in the nearby Imamwada area is the nearest facility for students in the area, but it was available only for boys in the past. Recently, it was opened for girls too, but Sapna could not secure admission to the library due to limited seats. She is waiting for a seat to get vacant at the library. Sapna is just one of many students in the area waiting for the library to open. While talking to The Hitavada, the NMC officials in the education department stated that the building is yet to be opened as the work of electrification is still pending at the building. Asked for the reason for the delay in work, the official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the electric department is handling the electrification, and some technical issues have kept the work from being completed.

 

However, the official assured that the library will be opened within the next 6 months. Amid the assurance from the official, the building is already showing signs of damage as some parts of the building are damaged, and the iron rods are visible through the cracks. Sorry state of the forgotten library building right in the heart of the city, as it stands as a stark reminder of bureaucratic inertia and misplaced priorities.

 

While the NMC invests in modern e-libraries, a tangible structure, built with the potential to uplift countless students like Sapna, languishes in neglect. The promise of accessible education, so crucial for the city's underprivileged youth, remains locked behind unfinished electrical work and crumbling infrastructure. The six-month assurance from officials offers a glimmer of hope, but until the lights are switched on and the doors are opened, the Untkhana library will remain a symbol of unfulfilled potential and a testament to the gap between promise and reality.