“Life Of Litigants, Advocates & Govt Employees At Risk” – Plea In Bombay High Court Seeks Reconstruction Of Dilapidated Mulund Court Building, HC Issues Notice

The Bombay High Court has issued notice to the state on an advocate's plea highlighting the dilapidated condition of the Mulund Court building, seeking reconstruction.

A proposal to reconstruct the building has remained on paper for over 20 years, the petitioner claimed.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor said that AGP shall have complete instructions from the State Government and should be briefed by the Principal Secretary of Law and Judiciary department, Principal Secretaries of PWD and Revenue Department, and Collector concerned.

The court said it would take the matter up after four weeks.

Advocate Santosh Dubey, a practicing advocate at the Mulund court argued the plea in person.

He submitted that the Mulund Metropolitan Magistrate Court Centre and Tahsildar office of the said Taluka Kurla was situated in a building known as Topiwala Building which was constructed in the year 1945.

The building has twelve or more offices of various government departments and one portion is occupied by two courts.

A 2017 structural audit report said “If the use of said building is to be continued, then immediately it is required to be strengthen. Based on above mentioned technical result the above-mentioned building is "Techno Economically Unfeasible".

He further said that several incidents of collapse of ceiling walls of various parts of the said building have occurred.

Dubey started a Charge.org petition for this purpose and claimed the demand for a new building has been proposed since 2005.

“In spite of such critical circumstances, the Administrative Approval for the construction of a new administrative building and court building has not been granted, in that regard. Life, limbs, and property of thousands of government employees, visitors, advocates, court staff, and litigants, including the petitioner are at great risk,” the plea stated.

He has sought a new administrative building, and for all the approvals for this building to be given in a timebound manner.