SMC to renovate Narmad library by spending Rs 1.89 crore

Surat, Mar 17 (UNI) The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will renovate Narmad Library, a prominent city-based institution with a rare collection of books and valuable documents, by spending around Rs 1.89 crore, SMC sources said here today.

According to the sources, the standing committee has allocated Rs 1.89 crore for this and the scrutiny of the tenders was being conducted.

The disastrous floods that had affected the city in August last year had caused damage to thousands of books in the library and some rare manuscripts and documents were completely destroyed.

Narmad Library is perhaps the only cultural institution opened to the public, where hundreds of Surtis are seen reading or conducting research activities.

The civic body plans to add two more floors to the library, so that the books can be kept on the top floors without getting affected by the floods in future, sources said.

At present the library is operating from a single floor, after 90 per cent of it was submerged during the flood.

UNI