Repair Vikhroli court building: Mumbai HC

Mumbai: Observing that condition of two Metropolitan Magistrate Courts in suburban Vikhroli was very bad, the Bombay High Court has directed the authorities to carry out repairs immediately.

Division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin Jamdar passed the order on two PILs, after a report by HC Registrar said that immediate repairs were needed. Assistant Government pleader Smita Gaidhani submitted last week that Public Works Department had not maintained the building on the ground that the property had not been taken on the `Property Register Book`. High Court directed that PWD Secretary and Superintending Engineer, Mumbai Circle, be made respondents, and these officers should take steps to bring the Court premises on the Property Register Book before October 11. Further, the HC said, the officers should inspect the Vikhroli Court premises before month-end and take a decision on repairs. These directions would not come in the way of taking up construction of a new court building on the adjoining land, HC clarified. Any encroachment on that land should be removed, with police protection, if needed, it said. Shivshankar Joshi, one of the petitioners, had said encroachments by shops and commercial establishments had made it difficult for litigants and lawyers to enter the premises. The High Court has now asked Assistant Municipal Commissioner to submit a report by October 18, the next date of hearing, about the encroachments, and take action. PTI