The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of concerns over the safety of the 150-year-old Bombay High Court building and the need for additional space, and directed the Maharashtra government to 바카라forthwith바카라 conduct a safety audit of the heritage structure.
A special bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices B R Gavai and J B Pardiwala also asked the government to expedite drawings of the site earmarked for constructing new high court building in Mumbai.
Observing that the state government 바카라must act with alacrity바카라 to fulfil the needs for facilities in the high court, the bench asked the state PWD to take up the matter in right earnest. It also said the high court may consult the state PWD and others on expediting the drawings.
바카라In order to ensure the structural safety of the existing premises, the State PWD will forthwith conduct a safety audit and apprise it on the next hearing of the steps taken on that regard,바카라 the bench said.
The top court exercised its suo motu (on its own) jurisdiction in taking note of an April 29 letter petition of Bombay Bar Association president Nitin Thakker and other bar leaders. It titled the case 바카라Heritage Building of the Bombay High Court and allotment of additional lands for the High Court바카라.
바카라The assumption of the suo motu jurisdiction of this court has been premised on the urgent needs of accommodation for the High Court of judicature at Bombay. The existing building is 150 years old. The High Court has approved the proposal of the Maharashtra government for land at Bandra East in Mumbai,바카라 the bench said.
It said some portion of the land, proposed for the new high court building at Bandra, is presently occupied by some government housing colonies.
The state government바카라s resolution was issued in March 2023 and the steps were being taken to hand over the vacant possession to land to the high court, said the state government's advocate general Birendra Saraf.
바카라We are aware of humanitarian aspects involved since staff colonies exist on the government land and occupants have to be relocated,바카라 the bench said.
바카라We are of the considered view that the state government must act with alacrity towards the high court facilities. The need for additional space for the high court is pressing along with that of chambers...,바카라 the bench said. It added that some additional space was needed near the present high court building in south Mumbai's Fort area for effective functioning.
It took note of the assurance given by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who supported the need for a new high court building in Mumbai, and asked him to use his good office for finding the solution.
The CJI said that taking up the case by the top court will not affect proceedings before the Bombay High Court.
In April, the Bombay High Court had asked the Maharashtra PWD to explore the availability of land in suburban Goregaon for the new HC complex and provide a rough sketch of its accessibility from the proposed coastal road.
The high court had said it would not stop the government from declaring the presently allotted land at Bandra (East) as a special area for a 바카라public project of vital importance바카라. It had expressed displeasure over the delay in handing over vacant possession of the 30.13-acre land in Bandra (East).
It added that while the Goregaon (West) land was not accepted earlier due to accessibility issues, it could be a better idea to explore the same due to the proposed coastal road.
The high court was hearing a contempt petition by lawyer Ahmed Abdi that claimed the government바카라s non-compliance in a 2018 high court order on land allotment.
