The Court emphasised that the UT must ensure the concept note is forwarded by the January 20 deadline.

High Court Expansion: UT Ordered to Forward 20.5 Lakh Sq Ft Plan by Jan 20

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chandigarh Administration to immediately move forward with a massive 20.50 lakh square feet expansion plan due to a critical shortage of space. 

The court has set a strict deadline of January 20 for the UT administration to submit a detailed "concept note" to ensure the project meets international standards.

According to the High Court’s observations, the matter has reached a state of "running against time". 

The expansion is vital because the High Court currently has a sanctioned strength of 85 judges, but only 69 courtrooms are available. This infrastructure gap has created a situation where there is virtually no space left to accommodate additional judicial staff or files.

As the High Court is part of the heritage zone, the expansion plan has faced previous stalls due to heritage objections. 

The UT Administration presented two options, one for 20.50 lakh square feet and another for 19.80 lakh square feet. The High Court has now directed the administration to move forward with the larger 20.50 lakh square feet proposal, which is also supported by the High Court Bar Association.

The Court emphasised that the UT must ensure the concept note is forwarded by the January 20 deadline to facilitate the holistic development of the judicial complex and to include it in the International Management Plan and forward it to the Fondation Le Corbusier by January 21."

Source: The Tribune