Deemed ‘unsafe' for National Museum antiquities, Red Fort barrack to now house new ASI museum

Indian Express

20-05-2025

Declared 'unsafe' by the National Museum for its 'high-value objects' in 2023, a Red Fort barrack in Old Delhi is expected to house a new Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) museum instead, according to a recent decision by the Union Culture Ministry.
The ASI Archives and Archival Museum of Archaeology, expected to be located at the barrack, CMP-A3, will house antiquities from the Central Antiquity Collection (CAC), on display at Purana Qila, nearly 8 km from the 17th-century Red Fort, since 1974. With over 3.5 lakh items, the CAC is the single-largest collection of antiquities in India.
In response to an application filed by The Indian Express under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, documents shared by the Culture Ministry had revealed that the decision on the new museum was taken in August 2023 and that the same was recently conveyed to the ASI, which has uploaded a new office order on its website.
Earlier allotted to the National Museum, the barrack, CMP-A3, was to display its 'Arms and Armour Gallery', and 'Anthropology Collection'. Despite the National Museum spending nearly Rs 35 crore on retrofitting the space, including getting new showcases and fixtures, among other items, between 2019 and 2023, an inspection had deemed CMP-A3 'unsafe' for its 'high-value objects'.
Accessed under the RTI Act, a note dated July 27, 2023, by B R Mani, then Director-General, National Museum, states, '…the ceiling of the first floor still had leakage in spite of retrofitting carried out… The arrangement of lighting is very poor and either it is out of focus or focus is not on the objects in the showcases… The star objects from the National Museum's Arms and Armour collection, like those of Aurangzeb, Nadir Shah and Rana Sangram Singh-II, have been placed in the barrack, which has lost its strength due to the fact that these were constructed in 1870s and placing the star objects in such (a) building is dangerous for the safety of the historic Arms and Armours.'
Mani, who retired last month, told The Indian Express, 'The barrack did not have proper arrangements for our objects, which is why we proposed that we should bring back our antiquities (from there). Some items from the National Museum were brought back but a few are still there.'
On the ASI taking over CMP-A3 in its place, Mani's July 2023 note mentions Professor K K Basa, then Director-General, ASI, requesting the space for an ASI museum. A Culture Ministry communication dated August 11, 2023, signed by Bhoopendra Singh, Under Secretary, states, '(The) Barrack may be handed over to the ASI along with all the fixtures and showcases.'
An office order dated February 24 this year, issued by Y S Rawat, Director-General, ASI, a copy of which is also available on the ASI website, states, '(The) Antiquity Section is instructed to take over the CMP (A3) Barrack, Red Fort, Delhi, from the National Museum.'
Sources suggest that the CAC antiquities may be shifted there after the ASI takes possession of CMP-A3 officially and the National Museum moves its artefacts out of the Red Fort barrack.
According to the ASI website, the CAC 'is a centre for the collection of explored and excavated pottery and other antiquities from various Excavation Branches and Circle Offices of the ASI… was created in the 1910s to mainly house the explored antiquities from Sir Aurel Stein's Central Asian Expedition (1906-1916). It was initially established in the main building of the ASI at New Delhi, which was later shifted to Safdarjung Tomb complex in 1958… presently housed in the premises of Purana Qila since 1974'.
The CAC antiquities include stone and metal sculptures, coins, paintings, and ivory and copper artefacts, among others, dating back from the proto-historic to the modern period.
Though the CAC antiquities at Purana Qila are sealed, they are opened occasionally on request by research scholars. The section where these artefacts are currently housed in the nearly 500-year-old Purana Qila has become decrepit. In comparison, their new home — the Red Fort barrack — was built by the British government after 1857.
This is not the first time that the CAC antiquities will be moved to a new home. Nearly two years ago, in March 2023, it was decided to shift the CAC collection to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Institute of Archaeology in Greater Noida, nearly 40 km from Purana Qila.
After a few big objects were moved to the Greater Noida institute, academics had raised concerns over the distance making access difficult for research scholars. Sources said these concerns were taken into consideration while deciding to shift the CAC artefacts to the Red Fort barrack.
To a query on a timeline for moving these artefacts to the barrack, a senior Culture Ministry official told The Indian Express, 'Shifting of antiquities will take time since the process requires much delicacy and care.'
Even as sources said the ASI is expected to take possession of the barrack soon, an ASI official adds, 'How can a barrack that is found unsafe for National Museum antiquities be considered safe for ASI antiquities? We will take possession of the barrack once our officials are satisfied with the space.'
Shyamlal Yadav is one of the pioneers of the effective use of RTI for investigative reporting. He is a member of the Investigative Team. His reporting on polluted rivers, foreign travel of public servants, MPs appointing relatives as assistants, fake journals, LIC's lapsed policies, Honorary doctorates conferred to politicians and officials, Bank officials putting their own money into Jan Dhan accounts and more has made a huge impact. He is member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). He has been part of global investigations like Paradise Papers, Fincen Files, Pandora Papers, Uber Files and Hidden Treasures. After his investigation in March 2023 the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York returned 16 antiquities to India. Besides investigative work, he keeps writing on social and political issues. ... Read More