SC seeks Centre's reply on space for 135-year-old library in Central Vista plan

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Centre's response detailing the space allotted for the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library under the Central Vista redevelopment project, while taking note of a media report which raised questions over the historic library's relocation.The Supreme Court's intervention follows a September 29 report by The Indian Express, which raised concerns over where the library's 8.5 lakh books would be housed as Shastri Bhawan, its current home, is set to be demolished under the Central Vista plan.A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva asked the Centre to file an affidavit, providing complete details of the area earmarked for the library, along with the actual layout plans. It said the affidavit must also clarify whether the allotted space can accommodate the library's 8.5 lakh books, and nearly two lakh books stored in south Delhi's RK Puram.Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, told the court that space for the library had been allocated in the Central Vista plan. However, the bench sought a detailed affidavit setting out the exact provisions. “If we go by the news report, this library dates back to 1891. Very well to say that we should cut down to paper, but that doesn't mean you don't take care of the valuable papers,” Justice Sanjay Kumar observed during the hearing.The bench questioned whether the library was being adequately accommodated in the new plan. “You are allotting only two rooms in the Kartavya Bhavan, that's it?” Justice Kumar was quoted by legal website LiveLaw as saying. The bench further raised concerns over the books currently stored in RK Puram and directed the Centre to clarify whether these would also be accommodated in the proposed facility.The Central Secretariat Library, established in 1891, has a collection of approximately 8.5 lakh books and other archival material. A further two lakh books are lying in cartons at its storage facility in RK Puram. The Culture Ministry had raised the issue of finding suitable accommodation for the library’s historic collection.WHAT EXPRESS REPORT SAID?According to The Indian Express report, the Culture Ministry found the two rooms initially allotted to the Central Secretariat Library at Kartavya Bhawan-2 were inadequate to accommodate its vast collection and facilities.The report said that around two lakh books from the library's regional-language section were already lying in cartons at RK Puram following an earlier relocation.Shastri Bhawan, where the library has been housed since 1969, is to be demolished as part of the Central Vista redevelopment plan, with the government having directed ministries to vacate the building.The library currently occupies four floors spanning nearly 5,500 square metres and houses around 8.5 lakh books, including rare books, official records and gazetteers. Its collection dates back to the library's establishment in 1891.On October 1, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, however, had rejected reports that no space had been earmarked for the library.In a post on X, the ministry said that “space for the Central Secretariat Library has been provided for in the Kartavya Path redevelopment plan” and that the necessary construction process was underway.- Ends