Law and PWD Minister Atishi on Friday expressed anguish over the deplorable conditions of the Rohini Court premises. She directed the Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Law Department to jointly prepare a detailed maintenance contract draft for the Rohini Court Complex by December 30.
The Law Minister on Friday inspected the Rohini Court premises following complaints from judges and lawyers about poor facilities and maintenance in the court complex.
During the inspection, the Law Minister found that the condition of the court premises was pitiable. There is a major problem of seepage throughout the building, causing water to seep through the walls and ceiling. Due to seepage, the walls have become damp and dirty, and paint and cement are peeling off. She discovered that the false ceiling was also in poor condition, with several panels missing and wires hanging overhead.
In a letter to the Principal Secretary (PWD) on Friday, Delhi Minister Atishi noted, “Yesterday I visited Rohini Court Complex along with Justice Rekha Palli, Building Maintenance and Construction Committee (Rohini Court Complex), after receiving several grievances from Judges and Lawyers regarding poor management of the facilities in the court complex.”
“I was shocked to see the dilapidated condition of the court building. The entire building had major seepage issues with water percolating through the walls and the ceiling. Due to the seepage, the walls were damp and dirty with paint and cement chipping off the walls,” she added.
PWD minister Atishi further stated that false ceilings inside the premises were also in bad condition and several panels were missing with wires hanging overhead.
“The toilets, especially the ladies’ toilets, were dirty and unhygienic. I visited the basement of the building, which was in a poor state, Electrical fittings were missing – the stairs were poorly lit and broken. Rohini Court Complex is used by a large number of Judges, lawyers and their judicial staff. It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure they do not face any inconvenience while discharging their duties,” Atishi noted. “Besides, the Court is also visited by thousands of people, who come to these courts to resolve their legal issues on a daily basis. People who come to the court are basically aggrieved and come looking for justice. To inconvenience them further would be inhuman,” she added.
Noting that it is a joint responsibility of the PWD and the Law Department to maintain such buildings, Atishi said, “Majority of these issues can be simply resolved by having a comprehensive facility management system, in the form of an Annual Maintenance Contract. The facility manager can look into the day-to-day issues faced by the judges, lawyers and general public and resolve them in real-time.”
