Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra will inaugurate the new block of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, increasing the total number of courtrooms from 15 to 50.
The new block is said to be replete with energy-conservation features.
An inaugural function at Vigyan Bhawan will be attended by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal and Supreme Court Judges.
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The HC has issued a circular making it mandatory for all officers of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service and Delhi Judicial Service, and trainee judicial officers to be present at the function at Vigyan Bhawan.
“In case of any exigency, the concerned judicial officers must inform the authorities in writing in advance, citing the reasons of their absence,” read the circular issued by Registrar General Dinesh Kumar Sharma.
The existing building of the High Court, located in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi and adjacent to Sher Shah Suri Gate, was designed in the 1960s.
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Many unique features
The new four-floor building has many unique features, including open courtrooms, optimal utilisation of natural lights, and a green wall on each floor for natural temperature regulation. Construction of the wing began in December 2013.
The building is designed to cater to the needs of the differently-abled with tactile flooring and specially designed toilets on each floor.
The new block is also equipped with a microphone in each courtroom. State-of-the-art fire detection, fire alarms and suppression systems are also integrated in the building and a dedicated security control room has central CCTV monitoring system as well as fire panels to address security and safety concerns.
The HC claims that the new building will be the standard for modern courts throughout the country.