Ludhiana: The municipal corporation’s plan to create a public library at Nehru Rose Garden remains unfinished more than a year after construction began, leaving residents without a dedicated reading space and raising questions over delays in completing the project.The civic body had demolished the old library structure and started construction of a new building following public demand. While the basic structure is now in place, the project remains incomplete, with damaged windowpanes, no doors installed and construction material and debris still scattered around the site.The Rose Garden library was one of the three libraries managed by the MC. While the Guru Nanak Bhawan library continues to function, the library at Children’s Traffic Park was shut years ago due to its poor condition. During construction at Rose Garden, books and other material were shifted to a room at Nehru Planetarium. However, with the new facility yet to open, memberships have not been renewed and only a handful of senior citizens continue to visit the planetarium to read newspapers.Residents said the city needed more accessible and modern public libraries, especially for students, competitive examination aspirants and readers seeking quiet study spaces. They urged the civic body to complete the project without further delay.BB Goyal, a resident of Haibowal, said libraries should be modernised with digital facilities and updated reading material. “The city talks about becoming smart, but even basic facilities such as Wi-Fi are unavailable at existing libraries,” he said.Mayank Sharma of Civil Lines suggested that the Rose Garden facility be developed as a modern reading centre equipped with computers, internet access and digital resources to attract younger readers.Veena Kapoor of Yash Colony said the civic body must also assess why existing libraries have failed to draw visitors. She said outdated collections and a lack of modern amenities discourage young readers from using such facilities.A senior MC official said pending approvals and funds required for some components had now been received and the remaining work would resume shortly. The official added that efforts would be made to complete the project at the earliest.The library project was originally proposed as part of a larger Rose Garden redevelopment plan for which foundation stone was laid by MLA Sanjeev Arora. While the broader redevelopment proposal was later shelved amid controversy, construction of the library began but has remained incomplete for over a year.
