New Delhi, August 12
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to shift the Jamia Nagar Metro station by 100 to 200 metres from the gardens of Jamia Millia Islamia due to some objections by the university.

The decision was taken on the suggestions of a study conducted by the DMRC on the exact location of the Jamia station. This will also benefit thousands of students and people of the area, living in the densely populated places of Jamia Nagar, Zakir Nagar and Batla House.

"The station around the Jamia Millia Islamia campus would benefit at least 20,000 people, including students, every day once the Metro operations start on the corridor," said a DMRC official.

"The work on the study has already begun and we will complete it in the next couple of days. By this week, we will be able to take a decision on the shifting of the station," said a DMRC source.

The study to explore the feasibility of shifting the station was ordered last week after Vice-Chancellor Najib Jung opposed it, saying that it would imperil the safety of girl students.

However, Jung later agreed for shifting the station from the current location to a spot within the varsity campus. Earlier, the station was to be constructed on the gardens of the varsity, but now it is likely to be built 100 to 200 metres away by razing a couple of buildings, the source said.

New drawings and other technical details are being prepared keeping in mind the change of location. The new spot which has been suggested is right where Jamia Nagar begins and it would be closer to the residential areas.

Jung had contended earlier that a station inside the campus will have security concerns and may disrupt the campus life in the area.

New Delhi, August 12
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on behalf of all Delhiites has congratulated Sushil Kumar on winning silver medal in the Olympics wrestling at London. Dikshit announced an award of Rs 1 crore for Kumar, who has become the first Indian to win silver in Olympic wrestling.

"Sushil has made history. Every Indian is proud of his feat. His dedication, hard work and apt training have yielded result and brought laurels for the country," Dikshit said. 

New Delhi, August 12
Once proud of its imperial possessions in the field of literature, some even dating back to the 16th century, the 100-year-old Hardayal Municipal Library stands rejected on the clogged lanes of Chandni Chowk.

"If there is any place in the whole city where one could get to read the Urdu version of Hindu epics like the Ramayana apart from 1,70,000 rare books in Hindi, English, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit and Prakrit, it has to be this Library," said Madhukar Rao, the chief librarian.

The library, which was known as Lord Hardinge Library till 1970, has its oldest book from the year of 1650 on the world history and saw some of the great Indian leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, surfing a wide range of books.

Away from the noise of the walled city, the library used to be the most sought-after place for the people of Old Delhi who delved into the world of books preserved in a meticulous manner. After serving as a favourite place for students, scholars and book lovers for several decades, the library has now been abandoned by the three newly formed municipal corporations and stands nothing more than a liability, of which the authorities want to do away with.

The neglected Hardayal Municipal Library at Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

After the trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the library is on the verge of closure with the three municipalities refusing to adopt it and provide any financial assistance to it.

The library, which has extended its presence to 31 centres all across the city, is being looked after by 102 employees who have not been paid salaries for the last four months. What's more, even the bills for newspapers and electricity have not been paid. "We have 19 dailies in Hindi, English and Urdu. We also subscribe to 25 magazines, though most people prefer newspapers," said the attendant at the library

"I have tried everything under the sun to save this library--from approaching the Lieutenant-Governor to the Chief Minister--but my efforts have come to nought," said Yashpal Arya, former secretary of the library.

The library was hundred per cent funded by the erstwhile MCD and it was supposed to be looked after by the civic agency as per the resolution passed by it in 1970. But after the trifurcation, the three corporations are trying to shrug off the responsibility.

Earlier, an annual fund of Rs 3 crore was fixed for the library which was disbursed in three instalments. "More than half of the year has passed and not even a single penny has been received by us. This shows the intention of the corporations to put an end to this historic centre of knowledge," said Satish Kumar Rathi, senior assistant librarian.

"The library has gone to the NDMC after trifurcation. So the civic body concerned should take care of its governance," said Savita Gupta, Mayor, South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Whereas the NDMC Mayor says that they cannot adopt the library without orders from the higher authorities.

"How can we commit to take up its responsibility when there are no such orders from the Directorate of Local Bodies, which has done the trifurcation. We can take over the library only if a resolution is passed and the Commissioner submits a positive report and suggests the way to afford its expenses," said Meera Aggrawal, Mayor NDMC.

"We took up the matter with the Directorate of Local Bodies a number of times, but the director did not take much interest. We have not heard a word from his office so far," added Yashpal Arya.

The library was set up in 1862 as the Lawrence Institute Library. In 1912, after Viceroy Lord Hardinge escaped a bomb attack while passing through Chandni Chowk on an elephant, the library was shifted to a larger building to commemorate his survival and was subsequently named after him.

Interestingly, after the Independence, it was again renamed as Hardayal Library after Lala Hardayal, who led the bomb attack on Lord Hardinge. 

New Delhi, August 12
The Delhi government at a recently held meeting decided to install CCTV cameras outside all liquor shops in the Capital to check rowdiness.

There are more than 530 liquor shops in the city. Initially, cameras will be installed at 225 vends run by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and the work is likely to be completed before the next month. By December end, all vends will have the equipment. The cameras have been imported from Japan and each of them will cover an area of 50 metre around a shop.

The shops will have to keep the camera footage of at least 30 days and government officials will keep checking them to punish the offenders.

At present, the cameras are installed inside the shops to capture the daily activities.

According to a senior official of the excise department, drinking near liquor shops is an offence in the Capital, but people are often seen drinking in and around the shops. And after drinking, some of them create ugly scenes there. The CCTV cameras are being installed to ensure a better environment in and around the liquor shops.

As per the Delhi Excise Act, if a person is caught drinking alcohol at a public place, he can be fined Rs 5,000 and if creates nuisance, can be fined up to Rs 10, 000 along with a three-month jail term.