SC seeks details on relocating 135-year-old CSL
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to give the actual layout plan and details of the area which would be allotted for housing the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library (CSL) in Delhi, amid reports that no space has been allocated for it in the new Central Vista plan.
The Central Secretariat Library, which has over 8.5 lakh books, is housed in Shastri Bhavan which is proposed to be demolished as part of the Central Vista plan.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notice to the Centre seeking its response on the proposed relocation of the library.
The top court was hearing a suo motu case titled ‘In Re: 135-year-old library, 8.5 lakh books - and no room in the new Central Vista plan’. “What is the area which you are now planning to offer for this library?”the bench asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for the Centre.
Bhati told the bench that the library presently has an area of 4,144 square metre and it would be allotted around 5,200 square metre area now.
At the outset, the bench said the issue was flagged by one of the retired judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Referring to a news report, the bench said the library dates back to 1891. “It is very well to say that we should cut down on paper, but that does not mean that you don’t take care of the valuable papers which we already have. You are allotting two rooms in Kartavya Bhawan, that is it?”the bench asked. Bhati said after the matter was flagged, they took instructions on the issue and the Director of the Central Vista was also present in the court. The bench said, “Instructions would not do. It is better that you file a proper affidavit”.
“The existing library has 5,000 odd square metre area. Now how much area are you planning to give?”the bench asked during the hearing, adding, “This is leaving out the two lakh books which are lying in R K Puram”.
Bhati said at present, the library has an area of 4,144 square metre and now, a bigger space across two floors was being planned for the library.
The bench said a proper affidavit be filed in the matter.
“We must know the detailed plan,”it said. The bench noted that Bhati has accepted notice for the Union of India and has offered to file an affidavit with “full details of the area which would be allotted for housing the library along with the actual layout plan”.
The bench said it would also be indicated as to whether the space to be allotted for the library would be adequate to house not only the books that are presently stored at Shastri Bhawan but also the books which are stated to be lying in cartons in RK Puram and which have not been opened since 2011.
While posting the matter for hearing on November 16, the bench requested senior advocate Haripriya Padmanabhan to assist it in the matter.
The Indian Express had reported that the library, currently spread over four floors in Shastri Bhawan here since 1969, was facing uncertainty as the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had allotted only two rooms in the Kartavya Bhawan-2 complex.
The Union housing ministry clarified that space for the library had been provided in the Central Vista redevelopment plan.
“Contrary to a few reports, it is clarified that space for the Central Secretariat Library has been provided for in the Kartavya Path redevelopment plan. The necessary process for construction of the library is underway,”the Ministry had said in a post on X.
