The Central Secretariat Library (CSL) needs a new home. But no one knows where it will go.
The library was set up in 1891. It moved to Delhi in 1911, along with the capital. It has been in Shastri Bhawan since 1969. Now Shastri Bhawan is being torn down as part of the Central Vista redevelopment. The library must move again.
The CSL is large. It spans four floors and nearly 5,500 square metres. It holds more than 8.5 lakh books. This includes rare books, official records, and gazetteers. Its oldest book dates back to 1702, written by a French traveller. The library is used by government officials and students preparing for competitive exams.
On September 17, the CPWD told all ministries in Shastri Bhawan to vacate the building by the end of September. Construction work is set to begin soon after.
In January, the Directorate of Estates offered the CSL two rooms at Kartavya Bhawan-2. This space was just 300 square metres. The Ministry of Culture, which runs the library, rejected this. It said the space was far too small.
This is not a new problem. In September 2023, the then Culture Secretary wrote to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. He asked for space equal to what the library had in Shastri Bhawan. He called the CSL “one of the largest tangible treasures of knowledge” in the country. He said it had served all central government ministries since 1984, when it also became a depository for government publications. He asked for about 5,466 square metres in the new Central Vista complex.
It took more than two years for a reply. In January 2026, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs offered the two rooms at Kartavya Bhawan-2. In February, the Culture Ministry rejected this again. It said the space was inadequate to house the library’s full collection. It said a complete move was not possible under these conditions.
(Source: The Indian Express)
