Chandigarh, Dec 14: The long-contested verandah outside Courtroom No. 1 of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has finally been constructed at Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex, bringing closure to a controversy that reached the Supreme Court and drew scrutiny from UNESCO.
The verandah, built outside the Chief Justice’s courtroom, was mandated by the apex court despite concerns that the addition could affect the integrity of the Le Corbusier-designed UNESCO World Heritage site.
The issue first surfaced last year when the Chief Justice sought the verandah for functional reasons, even though it did not feature in Le Corbusier’s original design. UNESCO had initially raised objections, prompting consultations with international experts, including officials from the Le Corbusier Foundation in Paris, who visited Chandigarh to assess the impact.
Following legal proceedings, the Supreme Court permitted the construction subject to heritage-sensitive execution. Officials said the work has now been completed in line with court directions.
“The verandah has been executed carefully, keeping both functional requirements and heritage obligations in mind,” a senior UT official said.
The Capitol Complex, spread over 163 acres, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2016 as part of “The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement.”
Officials said the completion of the verandah also includes ongoing installation of green pavers in the kutcha parking area, another intervention cleared by the courts.
