The Kedah Digital Library (KDL) project under construction at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial, Perak Jubilee Park, near here has reached 51 percent for the first phase.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said the project was in progress and would be completed by the end of March.

According to him, the overall budget for the construction of the project was RM15 million provided by the Federal Government and its construction through two phases, the first phase amounting to RM3.7 million and the second phase involving the remaining budget allocation.

"I see a better construction process and hope to get it done within a set time.

"I am confident that KDL will provide access to the people of Kedah, very conducive to reading and doing peaceful work. This is what we offer the people of Kedah, there is such a sophisticated facility in the park," he told a press conference after visiting the project site construction of KDL, today.

According to him, the uniqueness of the library involves the upgrading of the old building for the first phase while the second phase has a more modern building.

"We learned from Penang. There are two very popular buildings and as we can see with our own eyes how that idea has been translated into the building that many people visit every day. There we see a demand for such facilities.

"This concept is also taken from the Penang library where the old building was originally not used to its full potential," he said.

Also present were Exco Youth and Sports, Tourism, Arts and Culture, and Kedah Entrepreneurial Development, Asmirul Anuar Aris.