Delhi high court wants immediate action on Tis Hazari court complex revamp

NEW DELHI: An ambitious plan to revamp capital’s Tis Hazari court complex has been approved by the Delhi high court, which now wants the AAP government to start on it immediately.
HC’s high-powered building maintenance and construction committee, steered by a panel of judges, recently gave its nod to a short-term plan to improve the court complex, but also pushed the AAP government to sanction funds for its long-term redevelopment.In the short-term, the proposal is to construct additional 24 temporary courtrooms in the complex.
Minutes of the meeting held by BMCC, filed in court last week, showed that the temporary courtrooms would be constructed by PWD at Rs 60 lakh per courtroom.
“Considering that urgent need for additional courtrooms and delay in the redevelopment project, it is deemed appropriate to approve the same (sic),” the minutes state, but also bring out the concern of HC over long-term measures to improve court infrastructure.
The minutes show the judges want the AAP government and PWD to fast-track the revamp project “in view of the process for fresh appointments of judicial officers” that is currently on.
Recording its views, the panel pointed out that “there is an immediate need for more courtrooms on a long-term basis, since PWD has come out with a proposal for temporary courtrooms as a short-term measure, which would only cater to the strength of present judicial officers and not take care of the future requirements of courtrooms for such judges. Unless redevelopment is started immediately, no courtrooms will be available..”
Lastly, the panel said its decisions taken on the administrative side will now be part of PIL proceedings where a division bench of HC is monitoring upgrade of all courts in the city. It had directed standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan to place the minutes before a bench of justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal that is dealing with the PIL seeking directions to fill up existing vacancies and creation of additional infrastructure for Delhi Judicial Service.
Filed by advocate R K Kapoor in 2014, the PIL has sought “direction, including a writ of mandamus directing the respondent high court of Delhi, the Delhi government and other respondents to take urgent steps, to create infrastructure within a time-bound programme”.
It also wants the Centre to give sufficient financial support for creating court infrastructure in the city.