The state government has said that a plan is ready for the construction of a new building that will house the Mazgaon court, which was shifted out of its premises a year ago.
The government informed the Bombay High Court last week that the chief architect had submitted the plan to the high court registrar on September 2, 2014 for approval.
AI Patel, additional government pleader, conveyed this to a division bench of judges AV Mohta and FM Reis, who are hearing a petition by a senior lawyer highlighting the hardships faced by litigants and their advocates since the Mazgaon court was moved to the Sewri court premises.
The petition states that the Sewri court is not equipped to handle the additional work and urges the judges to move the Mazgaon court to the Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital building premises, near the office of the police commissioner in south Mumbai, which is a more convenient location.
It also urges the court to direct the government to expedite the construction of the new building. The judges have posted the petition for hearing on September 17. The Mazgaon court was shifted in July 2013 after the building was declared unsafe, only 16 years after it was completed.
Kantilal Sangoi, 59, who has been a lawyer for over three decades, has attached the structural audit report which states that the strength of the concrete samples were not up to the mark. "This shows the careless attitude of the government which is responsible for maintaining government buildings in structurally sound and stable condition," the petition stated.
It has also sought disciplinary action against the principal secretary (roads and construction), chief architect (Mantralaya) and chief engineer (public works department) for dereliction of duty.
Sangoi is a former president of the Mazgaon Court Bar Association and is being represented in this matter by advocate Avinash Gokhale. According to the Maharashtra Public Works Manual, every public building valued at Rs20,000 and constructed before 1960, or valued at Rs30,000 and constructed after 1960 should be inspected at least once a year by the executive engineer.
A sub-divisional officer must make frequent inspections of all buildings in his charge throughout the year and see that each is maintained in a good condition. The Mazgaon court was shifted to the Sewri court premises in July 2013 after the building that housed the court was declared unsafe.
The building was completed only 16 years ago and the court was inaugurated by then chief minister Manohar Joshi and then chief justice MB Shah. There were 13 court rooms in the Mazgaon building. They handled cases from Pydhonie, Dongri, JJ Marg, Nagpada, Agripada and Kalachowki.
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