Nagpur: The Ministry of Law and Justice sanctioned Rs 3.18 crore for the construction of second floor at South Annex building of High Court in Nagpur paving way for ample sitting arrangement for the lawyers.
Of these Rs 3.18 crore, Rs 1.91 crore were sanctioned for construction of office arrangement on the top of the South Wing, Rs 5 lakh for rainwater harvesting, Rs 9.55 lakh for water supply and sanitary works, Rs 11.46 lakh for external electrification, Rs 9.55 lakh for internal electrification, Rs 20 lakh for air conditioning, Rs 7.64 lakh for contingencies (4%), Rs 45.30 lakh as GST (18%), Rs 12.58 lakh for price escalation (5%) and Rs 1.23 lakh were sanctioned for labour insurance (0.5%).
According to the Public Works Department (PWD), the South Wing Annex building was constructed in 1984. Total area of open space (terrace) is 1,476.69 sq metres. Built up area is 764.52 sq metres and carpet area is 700.32 metres. It may be mentioned that the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) had taken a lead for construction of a hall for lawyers by writing a letter to the PWD and the High Court in July 2022.
The HCBA had highlighted in the letter that the HCBA having a total of 3,000 registered members and the present accommodation and other facilities can only accommodate approximately 750 lawyers/registered members. As a result, the bar members are facing acute shortage of seating space as well as other facilities such as toilets and others.
HCBA President Adv Atul Pande said that the then administrative judge of Nagpur Bench Justice Sunil Shukre had also forwarded the HCBA’s demand to the Building Committee of the High Court which was approved by the then Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Dipankar Datta. Supreme Court judge Justice Bhushan Gavai also took special initiative to get the plan sanctioned, Adv Pande said.
Adv Pande and HCBA Secretary Adv Amol Jaltare thanked Justice Sanjay Gangapurwala, acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, Justice A S Chandurkar, Justice Anil Kilor, all judges of the High Court, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for approving the demand.
