New Delhi, July 5 (UNI) The Maharashtra Government informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it has earmarked 4.39 acres of land at Bandra Kurla to build a new High Court building and will hand over the plot to the authorities by September 10.
The special bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice BR Gavai and Justice JB Pardiwala was hearing a suo moto petition regarding the deteriorating condition of the heritage building of the Bombay High Court.
After Maharashtra government’s submission, the Apex Court said the Chief Justice of the High Court is free to carry out requisite meetings and monitor the progress of the project.
Earlier, the Apex Court had directed the Maharashtra Government to release the pending 9.64 acres of the land before the deadline of December 2024, so that the construction as per the selected design plan can start at the earliest.
The CJI had asked the Maharashtra Advocate General Birendra Saraf to expedite the handing over of the land in September, after the monsoons end.
The Court had also asked the Chief Justice of the High Court to expedite the process of finalising the architect and design plan for the new building.
The Apex Court had also directed the authorities to give an alternative building for the functioning of the High Court till the New Building comes into being.
The Apex Court also directed the Chief Justice of the High Court to conduct a meeting with the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, and representatives of the Union government to decide upon a common building to provide temporary accommodation for the High Court.
The Apex Court had also requested the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta to attend the meeting online. The Maharashtra Public Works Department was also asked to conduct a structural and safety audit of the present High Court building in Fort, Mumbai, before monsoon.
In Monday’s hearing the Maharashtra Advocate General Birendra Saraf told the court that the state authorities have been able to identify some premises for running the High Court.
These include include a 12,000 square feet area in the premises of the Bank of India; 18,000 square feet of area in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) premisses and 8,000 square feet of the area in the premises of the Central Telegraph Officer.
