With Central Vista, a library without a home and a larger absence

The Central Secretariat Library (CSL), established in 1891, has been a vital repository of India's institutional memory for over a century. However, with the impending demolition of its home, Shastri Bhawan, for the Central Vista redevelopment project, the library remains without a permanent residence. The library's collection comprises over 8.5 lakh books and documents, dating back to 1702, making it an invaluable archive of the Indian state.

Despite the scale and ambition of the project, the government has failed to provide a secure home for this institution, raising concerns about the priorities of such a large-scale development. The Culture Ministry had already sought adequate space for the CSL in the new Common Central Secretariat, indicating the importance of proper planning.

The lack of provisions for inventory, cataloguing, conservation, climate-controlled storage, digitisation, and trained staff is a critical oversight. The CSL's history shows that temporary arrangements can result in the permanent loss of institutional resources. The government must guarantee that the CSL is not left with a permanent absence, just as its regional languages section, Tulsi Sadan Library, was shut when construction for the Mandi House Metro station began in 2011.