CJI Gavai lays foundation stone of Bombay High Court building in Bandra. All about the new complex

New complex was planned in the wake of space constraints and outdated infrastructure at the current Bombay HC building in South Mumbai that was opened in the 1860s.

File photo of Bombay High Court that came up more than 150 years ago | Commons

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government held the ground-breaking ceremony for a new high court complex in Mumbai’s suburban Bandra in the wake of problems such as space constraints and outdated infrastructure at the current Bombay High Court building in Fort, South Mumbai.

Chief Justice B.R. Gavai laid the foundation stone Wednesday, terming the occasion an “iconic milestone in the history of the Bombay High Court”.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Justice Shree Chandrashekhar were also present.

“I end my tenure by laying the foundation of one of the most prestigious buildings, the best court building in the entire country,” said CJI Gavai, who is scheduled to retire on 23 November.

“While maintaining the grandeur and iconic structure of the building, it should also be ensured that there is no extravagance, since it is ultimately a temple of justice and not a seven-star hotel,” he added.

The new HC complex will be in white cement concrete and is designed by architect Hafeez Contractor. It is set to come up on 30.16-acre land in Bandra East at a cost of Rs 4,127 crore, while the state cabinet had sanctioned Rs 3,750 crore for the same in September. It is stipulated to be completed in 5 years.

The complex is set to have 75 modern spacious courtrooms along with judges’ chambers, a conference hall, a modern library, a public auditorium and arbitration and mediation centers.

The complex will also have amenities like staff quarters, medical facilities, multi-level parking and much more. The new design is meant to deliver accessibility to differently-abled individuals as well and is planned to be completed in a record duration of five years.

The Bombay High Court’s current building in Fort was inaugurated over 150 years ago. Stones from the existing building will be incorporated in the new complex, the size of which is said to be equivalent to six Oval maidans.

Fadnavis, in his speech at the ceremony, had a request to the developer. “The grandeur of the building should be democratic and not imperialistic. Imperialistic grandeur is to show the might of the building, the might of the king. Now that we are a democracy, all functional areas in this building should depict democratic values of the nation and of the Constitution, and it should promise to everybody that they will get justice here,” he said.

 

(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)