Construct verandah outside chief justice's court in 4 weeks: HC to Chandigarh admn

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

The Punjab and Haryana high court has given the Chandigarh administration four weeks to construct a verandah outside the chief justice's court.
The order was passed by the bench presided over by chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sumeet Goel during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL).
'...in the face of ensuing monsoon season, which will start in a month's time, urgency arises and therefore, the UT administration is directed to construct the verandah in front of Court Room No. 1, preferably within a period of four weeks,' the bench ordered while fixing the next date of hearing on July 4.
On May 28, the Supreme Court had upheld a November 2024 order of the high court directing the Chandigarh administration to construct the verandah, saying it will not violate the UNESCO guidelines.
The apex court order came on the petition filed by the UT administration that construction of the verandah without UNESCO's nod could result in the loss of World Heritage status of Capitol Complex, which included the assembly, the high court and the secretariat, designed by celebrated architect Le Corbusier, who planned the entire city of Chandigarh.
Currently, a verandah exists only in front of court room numbers 2 to number 9, while visitors to court room number 1 are left to brave harsh summer heat and monsoon rains in the absence of any protective cover.
Construction at a heritage site is prohibited without approval from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. The committee has already stalled three ambitious projects at the Capitol Complex, including the underground multi-level parking lot, high court's holistic development plan and an AC chiller plant.
However, SC said the verandah in front of court room number 1, in alignment with the design of the pre-existing verandahs in front of court room numbers 2 to 9, was absolutely justified and would not violate the UNESCO guidelines.
Court seeks proposal for green paver blocks in parking area
The high court has also directed UT to submit a proposal for laying green paver blocks in kutcha parking area, established on a green belt, within one week before the building committee of the high court.
If due to summer vacations, the committee cannot meet (physically or virtually), the proposals be placed before the chief justice, the bench further directed.
The issue of paver blocks in the green belt area was also dealt with by the apex court following UT's reservations. However, SC said the requirement of a proper parking space for the lawyers and the litigants was 'imperative because the pre-existing facility in the high court has fallen woefully short'.
The high court was hearing a PIL filed by Vinod Dhaterwal, an office-bearer of the high court employees' association, demanding infrastructure development at the HC complex in the wake of increasing traffic congestion, space crunch and implementation of the holistic development plan. The order regarding construction of verandah and laying of paver blocks had also come during these proceedings.