The Punjab and Haryana high court has allowed the shifting of Gurugram district courts to Tower of Justice, a new judicial complex, even as it awaits crucial clearances.
“Ordinarily, we may have waited for all such steps to be taken, but as we find that the judicial work in the district court complex is severely curtailed, any further delay in the shifting of the court would be prejudicial to the public at large. We also record the statement of the Engineer-in-Chief (Buildings)-cum-HOD, Haryana, PWD (B&R), Chandigarh that, in the event any shortcoming is still noticed in the building, the same shall be rectified forthwith,” the bench of acting chief justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and justice Rohit Kapoor observed during a hearing of a suo motu PIL initiated earlier this year over delay in execution of the project.
The complex is yet to get environmental and fire clearance.
However, the engineer-in-chief (buildings), Haryana, had told the court that the building is now complete in all respects and all pending works have been completed. All statutory norms have been complied with, and an application has been submitted for obtaining an environmental clearance certificate. Getting fire clearance is also in process, he told the court.
A fire at the existing court complex in May destroyed numerous court records and led to the collapse of a large section of the building. The building was declared unsafe, and the court was shifted to a guest house, from where it is presently operating.The Tower of Justice was envisioned as a modern judicial complex to meet Gurugram’s growing need for court infrastructure. Spread over seven acres, it can accommodate 55 courts. The project, whose foundation stone was laid in 2014, was initially estimated to cost ₹113 crore, but is now expected to cost ₹295 crore. It was scheduled to be completed in 2020.