The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday told the Chandigarh administration to make all-out efforts to expedite clearance for the expansion plan of the high court complex from UNESCO, but at the same time also prepare an alternative plan if the project does not find favour with the international body.
“Be ready with plan-B,” the bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry orally remarked as UT’s counsel did not have a clear answer to the question to what if the international body rejects the proposal.
Earlier, UT’s counsel had told the court that heritage impact assessment report and entire planning of the project have been done in a manner so that the project conforms to the international body norms. “We are very positive about it,” the UT’s counsel responded to the HC’s query, further adding that otherwise, 40 acres of the land have been offered to the high court for the new complex in Sarangpur. But the proposal has not found favour with the Bar body.
The UT had sent the proposal for expansion plan of high court complex to the international body on January 21. The plan is with regard to construction of a new block at the HC complex over 20.5 lakh square feet area. As per the plan, the total built-up area under the expansion plan will be 10,46,335 square feet, and 40 courtrooms, 48 judges’ chambers and office space will come up on 7,03,357 square feet. It is crucial for the high court administration as it is reeling under severe shortage of space. However, the plan can’t be executed without clearance from the UNESCO body as HC complex falls within the Capitol Complex, declared a world heritage site in 2016.
The court, while deferring the hearing to March 6, observed that every possible help be extended to the architect for preparation of heritage impact assessment. The court was hearing a 2023 public interest litigation (PIL) by HC employees’ association secretary Vinod Dhatterwal, seeking the implementation of a holistic development plan, which envisages the setting up of multi-storey buildings to cater to the requirement of additional space in view of the serious space crunch and increasing traffic chaos at the complex.
{{/usCountry}}The court, while deferring the hearing to March 6, observed that every possible help be extended to the architect for preparation of heritage impact assessment. The court was hearing a 2023 public interest litigation (PIL) by HC employees’ association secretary Vinod Dhatterwal, seeking the implementation of a holistic development plan, which envisages the setting up of multi-storey buildings to cater to the requirement of additional space in view of the serious space crunch and increasing traffic chaos at the complex.
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