Chandigarh: The Union Territory Administration has presented a revised proposal for the expansion of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The fresh roadmap was discussed during a meeting in Geneva on September 6, attended by Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, Chief Architect Rajiv Kumar Mehta, and Senior Architect Sangeeta Bagga.
Key Highlights of the Revised Plan
- Construction Area Reduced: The proposed built-up area has been scaled down to 2 lakh sq ft, a significant reduction from the earlier plan.
- Facilities Planned: The expansion includes 16 new courtrooms, lawyers’ chambers, cafeterias, administrative offices, and parking facilities.
- Multi-Storey Development: To manage space constraints, the plan proposes vertical structures to accommodate nearly 10,000 lawyers, 3,300 staff members, thousands of litigants, and around 10,000 vehicles daily.
- Heritage Safeguard: All new facilities will be developed within the existing premises but away from the iconic heritage buildings of the Capitol Complex.
UNESCO’s Response
Officials stated that the UNESCO team responded positively to the presentation. The official minutes of the meeting are expected within 20 days, after which the next course of action will be finalised.
Heritage Concerns and Past Proposals
The revised submission follows objections raised by UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), which had earlier flagged risks to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the Capitol Complex — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Previous plans, including underground parking and an AC chiller plant, were shelved after these concerns.
A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) was also conducted before resubmission. The 2023 ICOMOS review emphasized the importance of preserving green belts and open spaces behind the High Court while balancing the urgent need for expansion.
Legal and Land Alternatives
Recently, while hearing a PIL, the High Court asked the administration to confirm whether the revised plan was approved by both the UT Administration and the heritage committee, especially since the number of proposed courtrooms had been reduced.
Earlier, the administration had proposed 48 acres in Sarangpur village for a new High Court complex, citing its higher floor area ratio and connectivity advantages via a 200-foot-wide road and a planned elevated corridor. However, land in the IT Park was ruled out as it had been earmarked exclusively for information technology and allied services.
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