The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that it would finalise by the end of September a consultant for a new high court building, proposed to be built in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).
“The consultant would be a foreign firm and an expert in the field,” acting Advocate General Rohit Deo, appearing on behalf of the state government, told a bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka.
The court was hearing a PIL regarding severe space crunch being faced at the over 140-year-old high court building located in south Mumbai.
On the high court’s direction, the government had agreed to allot land for the new HC complex at Government Colony, Bandra (East), following its redevelopment.
Deo told the court that the master plan for the proposed building would be prepared by the end of December 2016.
Posting the matter for hearing on January 10, 2017, the high court asked Deo to give details on the next occasion about the space, architect and interiors of the proposed building.
The high court told the state government not to get into the nitty-gritty of the building structure and that it (the court) would decide on the design and interiors of the building.
The bench had observed on the last occasion, “We are not looking at interim measures, which will suffice only for 25 years, but are looking at the needs for the next 100 years. There is a large area being provided (at Kalanagar near BKC). Time has come for a rethink. Instead of making changes in a 140-year-old building, it is time to move ahead.”
The court had also pointed out that the petitioner was only looking at the matter from a limited perspective of heritage.
“Mumbai has the largest number of lawyers. Everyone has his own perspective. Ultimately you have to take the broader view into account. Interest of litigants is paramount,” it had said.
