SC seeks Centre's detailed plan for 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to submit the actual layout plan and complete details of the space proposed for the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library in Delhi, including whether it would be adequate to house its entire collection.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notice to the Centre on the proposed relocation of the library, which currently operates from Shastri Bhavan, a building slated for demolition under the Central Vista redevelopment plan.
The court was hearing a suo motu case titled "In Re: 135-yr-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, appearing for the Centre.
Bhati said the library currently has an area of 4,144 square metres and that a larger space of around 5,200 square metres across two floors was now being planned for it.
The bench said it wanted the Centre to file a proper affidavit with full details rather than rely on instructions given during the hearing.
"We must know the detailed plan," it said.
The court also raised concerns about books from the library that are currently stored in cartons in R K Puram and have reportedly remained unopened since 2011.
The bench said the affidavit should specify whether the proposed space would be sufficient to accommodate not only the books currently housed at Shastri Bhavan but also the collection lying in R K Puram.
"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," the bench said.
The issue was initially flagged by a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the bench noted.
Referring to a news report, it said the library dated back to 1891 and questioned whether the proposed arrangement was adequate for such a large collection.
Bhati informed the court that after the issue was brought to the government's notice, officials had taken instructions and the Director of Central Vista was also present in court.
The bench, however, said a formal affidavit was necessary.
The court recorded that Bhati had accepted notice on behalf of the Union of India and offered to file an affidavit containing the full details of the area proposed for the library along with the actual layout plan.
The matter was posted for further hearing on November 16. The bench also requested senior advocate Haripriya Padmanabhan to assist it in the case.
The Central Secretariat Library, which has more than 8.5 lakh books, has been housed across four floors of Shastri Bhavan since 1969. The building is proposed to be demolished as part of the Central Vista redevelopment.
The Indian Express had reported that the library faced uncertainty after the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs allotted only two rooms in the Kartavya Bhawan-2 complex.
The ministry subsequently clarified that space had been provided for the library under 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," it had said in a post on X.
