After several years of delay, the Kozhikode Bi-Centenary Memorial Court Complex that will house seven courts in the city is finally getting ready for opening.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will open the complex on September 29 in the presence of Kerala High Court Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy, Principal District Judge M.R. Anitha told the media here on Wednesday.
Ten courts, including seven functioning in rented buildings, will be shifted to the new complex. Except the Special Additional Sessions Court and Special Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court at the Marad Court Complex at Eranhipalam and the Special Court/Court of Enquiry Commissioner at the Vigilance Court Complex, all other courts in the city would come under one roof.
The complex, with an area of 8,404 square metres, will also house record rooms, chambers for judges, clerks’ rooms, visitors’ rooms and ample parking space.
The complex was constructed with all modern facilities including four lifts at a cost of ₹15.99 crore. History seminars, discussions on development of courts and exhibitions will be conducted in connection with the inauguration.
The foundation stone for the court complex was laid by former Minister M. Vijayakumar in February 2011. The State government had sanctioned ₹13.7 crore for constructing the complex. The project was to be completed within two years. But it met with delays, especially administrative lapses.
Lawyers had complained that the delay in completing the work of the court complex created difficulties for them as they had to travel from one court to another which was located elsewhere in the city.
The courts in Kozhikode has a history of 200 years. The project for setting up a bicentenary court began in 1992. Finally, a proposal for the complex was made in the 2008-2009 budget.
