Punjab and Haryana HC asks UT administration to work on public toilets, covered walkways in court

Punjab and Haryana HC Division Bench notes lack of basic facilities for litigants and lawyers; UT counsel seeks a week to work out solutions as parking, housing and campus redevelopment are taken up together.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court Friday reviewed the progress of the “holistic infrastructure plan” for the court complex, with the Bar raising concerns over the absence of public toilets and the need for covered walkways for lawyers and litigants using the parking areas. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry heard submissions from both the Bar and the Chandigarh administration on the status of parking, judges’ residential quarters, and phased redevelopment of the campus.

During the hearing, the Bar Association highlighted that there is presently no dedicated public bathroom facility in the open circulation area used by litigants and lawyers behind the heritage complex. “There is no bathroom for members of the general public outside. The space earlier occupied by the Bar Association has already been handed over for this purpose,” counsel for the Bar informed the Bench, adding that the facility was an urgent requirement.

The Bar also pressed for a covered walking path between the kacha (temporary) parking area and Gate No. 1, pointing out that lawyers and litigants are often exposed to rain, winter fog and intense summer heat while moving between parking zones and courtrooms. A second covered corridor was requested between the lawyers’ chambers and Gate No. 4, where an uncovered path already exists.

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Appearing for the UT Administration, Senior Advocate Amit Jhanji said he had just been informed about the space earmarked for a public toilet, and sought a week’s time to sit with stakeholders and work out “the best possible” solution on both the toilet and the covered walkways. “If there is no permanent space, we will explore a temporary structure,” he told the Bench.

The court also took note of the ongoing work on the kacha parking area, which is expected to be completed in about two months. The Bar said it levelled the Rock Garden-side temporary parking at its own expense, but it would have to be properly paved once broader redevelopment begins. The Bench asked the administration to ensure that alternative parking solutions are planned in advance so that internal court parking can be closed when the holistic plan is executed.

Separately, the Bench was informed that some judges have not yet been able to occupy allotted official residences due to delays linked to financial sanction processes. The court asked the Union Territory to examine whether proposals could be segregated and administrative approvals expedited.

Towards the end of the hearing, the Bench noted that UT counsel had sought time to seek instructions on these points. The Bench said it would await both the UT’s response and the report of the high-level committee previously constituted to oversee the campus redevelopment.

The matter will be heard again on November 21.