The four-block expansion under the holistic development plan of Punjab and Haryana high court (HC), aimed at increasing court rooms by at least 35 and creating 22 lakh square ft of parking area, is estimated to cost ₹ 1,454 crore.
If all the sanctioned posts are filled, the administration would struggle to get court rooms for all. In the future, the strength is to go up. Moreover, the complex is seeing massive traffic jams on a daily basis during peak hours.
While the initial estimates had stood at ₹ 1,600 crore, a top official privy to the development said, “The officers sat with the consultant and the final estimate worked out now is ₹ 1,454 crore. Four new blocks with 30-35 more court rooms on a 11.42 lakh square-feet area behind the heritage building designed by Le Corbusier, and an additional parking capacity of 11.17 lakh square feet at the Capitol Complex are to be part of the extension area, according to the proposal. Over 10,000 cars and thousands of two-wheelers come to the HC daily as there are 10,000 lawyers and over 3,300 court employees, besides the litigants. The court has a sanctioned strength of 85 judges – but at present, it has only 60 judges and only 69 courtrooms.
