SC Seeks Centre’s Response on Central Secretariat Library Relocation
Court asks Centre to disclose space and layout plan for 135-year-old library housing over 8.5 lakh books
- SC seeks Centre’s response on Central Secretariat Library relocation.
- Library houses more than 8.5 lakh books.
- Centre asked to disclose allotted area and layout plan.
- Housing Ministry says space has been provided in Central Vista plan.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th Oct: The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Centre’s response on the proposed relocation of the 135-year-old Central Secretariat Library in Delhi, which houses more than 8.5 lakh books, amid reports that no adequate space had been allocated for the institution under the new Central Vista Plan.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notice to the Centre and directed it to file an affidavit providing full details of the area proposed to be allotted to the library, along with the actual layout plan.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appeared for the Centre.
The top 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’.
The proceedings come against the backdrop of recent media reports highlighting uncertainty over the future of the historic library. The Central Secretariat Library has been operating from four floors of Shastri Bhawan since 1969 and reportedly faced uncertainty over its relocation under the Central Vista redevelopment project.
According to the reports cited in the matter, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had allotted only two rooms for the library in the Kartavya Bhawan-2 complex, raising concerns over whether the existing collection and library facilities could be adequately accommodated.
The library, established around 135 years ago, houses more than 8.5 lakh books and has been an important repository of government-related and other literary resources.
The Supreme Court’s direction seeks clarity on the proposed accommodation and the overall layout for the library as part of the redevelopment plan.
The Union Housing Ministry, meanwhile, has clarified that space for the Central Secretariat Library has been provided in the Central Vista redevelopment plan.
The court’s intervention comes as the proposed relocation has raised questions about the adequacy of the space being made available for an institution with a vast collection accumulated over more than a century.
