Chandigarh, Feb 13: The Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed on Friday that a critical heritage impact assessment report is still being drafted, pausing the planned infrastructural expansion of the court complex. The document is a mandatory prerequisite due to the site’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage location, which includes the iconic structures designed by Le Corbusier.
A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, noted during the proceedings that the consultant engaged for the holistic development project is currently in the process of finalizing the evaluation. Given the urgency of the space constraints, the court directed the UT Administration to provide all necessary financial and logistical support to ensure the report is completed without further delay.
“The heritage impact report is yet to be prepared,” the counsel mentioned to the Bench during the onset of the hearing.
The infrastructure crisis at the High Court has reached a critical point, with only 69 functional courtrooms available despite a sanctioned strength of 85 judges. Chief Justice Nagu previously pointed out that the lack of space prevents the court from operating at its intended capacity. The Bench has described the current environment for staff as “extreme,” noting that registry officials are often forced to work in poorly ventilated rooms with legal records stored on the floor.
“This shortage of space dissuades the High Court from working at full strength,” the Chief Justice previously mentioned while urging the administration to adopt a pragmatic approach toward the expansion plan.
The project, which has been in discussion since 2014, remains stalled over heritage concerns despite receiving principle approval in 2020. Because the entire Capitol Complex is protected under the World Heritage framework, a concept note for the expansion has also been submitted to the Foundation Le Corbusier for review.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for February 18 to monitor the progress of the assessment.
