9 months ago
Punjab and Haryana HC expedites consultant hiring for court redevelopment
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants to hire a consultant quickly to help rebuild their court building.
The new plan is much bigger than the old one from 2014.
Everyone involved, like the city government and the lawyers, agrees they need to hurry.
They have to follow the rules, but they also need to finish some important steps, like checking how the new building will affect old, important buildings.
The court said a special group can figure out how to hire the consultant faster, but they still have to follow the rules.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court asked its administrative committee to expedite the hiring of a consultant for the redevelopment of the court complex.
The project, which spans 11 lakh square feet, requires approvals from multiple agencies, including the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee.
Senior counsel Rupinder Khosla urged immediate steps to avoid missing the December 31 deadline, arguing that failure to meet it could delay the project by two years.
The UT administration and the Union of India highlighted the need to follow procedural rules and complete key tasks, such as the heritage impact assessment.
The court indicated that the administrative committee would be asked to evolve a procedure for shortlisting consultants within legal constraints and return to the court for final approval.
- Who
- Punjab and Haryana High Court, UT administration, High Court Bar Association, Union of India
- What
- Expediting the hiring of a consultant for the redevelopment of the court complex
- Where
- Punjab and Haryana High Court
- When
- The matter was heard on Thursday, with a deadline of December 31
- Why
- To avoid procedural delays and meet the year-end deadline for the redevelopment project
Key facts
- Project Size
- 11 lakh square feet
- Deadline
- December 31
- Committee Members
- Chief architect and chief engineer of the UT
- Key Tasks
- Appointment of consultant, heritage impact assessment, clearance from Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee
- Previous Plan
- 2014 plan covering 3 lakh square feet
Quotes
Rupinder Khosla
Senior counsel representing the High Court Bar Association
“The administrative committee, which includes the chief architect and chief engineer of the UT, should be permitted to devise a via media to approve a consultant so that the project reaches 'stage eleven' of the procedural chart placed before the court.”
indianexpress.com
Amit Jhanji
Senior standing counsel representing the UT administration
“Several steps listed in the UT’s affidavit had not yet been completed, including the invitation of expressions of interest and the technical evaluation of applicants.”
indianexpress.com
Satya Pal Jain
Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India
“The earlier holistic plan, cleared in 2014, had now become redundant because it covered only 3 lakh square feet, while the present proposal spans 11 lakh square feet.”
indianexpress.com
