After a lull caused by the lockdown, work relating to the construction of the Combined Court Complex in Ambattur is slowly drawing to a close.
At present, the Public Works Department (PWD) has completed 80 per cent of the work including construction of separate chambers for judges, conference rooms and visitors’ hall.
The multi-crore project is being carried out after the demolition of an old dilapidated court complex on the 1.25-acres premises on CTH Road, adjacent to the office of Zone – 7, Greater Chennai Corporation.
Since the old court complex was demolished, the existing Ambattur court functions from the defunct canteen belonging to Small Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO) off CTH Road, behind the bus terminus at Ambattur Industrial Estate.
The rented unused canteen has been converted into a court complex with small rooms that house judges’ chambers, a record room and court halls. A majority of the rooms were poorly lit and the ceilings in the structure has peeled off due to weathering.
“Unlike the temporary accommodation, the new court is located at the centre of the neighbourhood making it accessible for visitors,” says S. Marimuthu, a litigant from Pattaravakkam.
As per the plan, PWD officials point out, the new court building on CTH Road will have separate court halls for all three courts with separate rooms for judges, separate rooms for men and women advocates, a visitors’ hall, a records room, an office, water taps and toilets. Ramps will also be constructed for the differently-abled. Parking space for vehicles, a canteen and advocates association rooms are being constructed.
Prior to COVID-19, every day, on an average, more than 600 litigants from Ambattur OT, Thirumulavoyal, Muthalpudupet, Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Ambattur Estate, Korattur and Nolambur would visit the court. Further, under-trials were also brought to the court for remand and custody. However, due to lack of custody rooms at the defunct canteen-turned-court complex, the police accompanying the under-trials have been on the spot as the safety of under-trials is at risk. Case bundles need better maintenance as there are not adequate steel bureaus to store them.
