Bhopal Central Library to be declared as protected monument

Bhopal: The historic Central Library in Bhopal will soon be declared as a protected monument.

Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Laxmikant Sharma has directed officials to issue a final notification to this effect if no objections were received from any quarter after an initial notification was issued in August 2011.

The final notification will be issued under the Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1964.

The Central Library is a red stone structure and is one of the oldest and beautiful buildings of the city. It was built in 1908 by the then Nawab of Bhopal State Sultan Jahan Begum for housing the Edward Museum.

Her objective behind the establishment of the museum was to display the gifts and offerings presented to the rulers of the state. The museum was inaugurated in 1909 by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Minto.

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It was closed down during Nawab era itself because of maintenance issues. Then in 1955, Maulana Azad Central Library was housed in this building. At that time, the library had about 60,000 books and manuscripts in Hindi, English, Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit language.

The building which is situated on Itwara Road in the city is also known as Edward Museum, Maulauna Azad Central Library, Kendriya Pustakalaya and Ajaib Ghar.

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Once the building is declared as state-protected monument, no digging or construction work can be carried out on lands and buildings situated within 200 meter radius of it without permission from the Commissioner, Archaeology and Archives of Madhya Pradesh.