In 3 yrs,all courts under one roof at Shivajinagar

The move would facilitate citizens as it will bring courts in close proximity,however,concerns over traffic,parking and security issues remain. “It is by 2014 that we can expect all the courts to begin functioning in Shivajinagar. With 30,000 to 35,000 litigants and 2,000 advocates visiting the area daily,it is going to be a big challenge to manage traffic and parking spaces here,” said president of Pune Bar Association Milind Pawar.

Courts in close proximity will not only cut travel time for petitioners but also provide them with additional facilities. For instance,the new family court building will house a library and separate bar rooms for men and women lawyers,a meeting room for litigants and a child care centre ¿these facilities are at present not available at Bharati Vidyapeeth Bhavan,Alka Talkies Chowk.

“At present there are five posts of judges in the family court. We are likely to get one more post sanctioned to reduce the pendency,” said Rekha Koratkar,former president of family court bar association. The foundation of the building was laid in 2009 and the construction is expected to be completed by March 2012.

Accepting the consumer court’s demand to shift from the rented premises at Bibewadi to a permanent address in Shivajinagar,the state recently allotted land adjoining the family court’s new building . “The vicinity of these courts to Shivajinagar railway station and the bus stand is icing on the cake,” said Madhukar Parasnis,a litigant in the consumer court.