New SC annexe at Appu Ghar

Judges and lawyers will work where the young and the old used to play. Replacing the once popular amusement park Appu Ghar near Pragati Maidan is a Supreme Court annexe to be built on 12 acres of land for Rs 500 crore, reports HT Correspondent.

Judges and lawyers will work where the young and the old used to play.

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Replacing the once popular amusement park Appu Ghar near Pragati Maidan is a Supreme Court annexe to be built on 12 acres of land for Rs 500 crore.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) K.G. Balakrishnan, who laid the foundation stone of the new complex on Saturday, said the new complex would provide better working conditions for the Supreme Court staff.

The new complex would add various infrastructure facilities for the apex court such as a new lawyers' chamber block for 500 advocates, a library, a conference hall, a lounge for the litigants and parking space, besides several other facilities for the court staff, lawyers and litigants.

"This new complex would enable us to deliver proper justice to the litigants. Nobody knows the conditions under which our staff works. They do not have adequate working place in the existing complex," the CJI said.

Tipped to be the next chief justice, S.H. Kapadia, said, "There are many courts in remote areas that have no infrastructure because of financial constraints. We in Delhi are lucky to get funds. Time has come to think about subordinate judiciary to make them comfortable as far as their working is concerned."

The workload and the strength of judges have increased manifold since the present building got operational in 1958, the CJI said, adding, the new building will a big relief for the apex court staff who had been "suffocating" for want of space.