The Maharashtra government has committed to the Supreme Court that it will transfer an additional 5.25 acres of land for the new Bombay High Court building complex in Mumbai’s Bandra region by January 31. This pledge follows the earlier handover of 4.39 acres in October 2024, as part of the ongoing project to relocate the high court to a more modern and spacious facility.
During a hearing before a bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai, Maharashtra’s Advocate General Birendra Saraf detailed the progress in the land transfer process, noting that previous obstacles such as encroachments have been cleared. Saraf assured the bench, which also includes Justices Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran, that the state is on track to meet the revised deadline after missing the initial end-of-December target.
The state’s proactive steps include the appointment of a project management consultant and regular reviews led by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court to monitor the progress of this significant infrastructure project. A groundbreaking ceremony held on September 23, 2024, marked the official start of construction activities for the new complex.
The bench expressed its appreciation for the state’s efforts to expedite the court’s relocation, which is deemed crucial for addressing both safety concerns and the need for additional space. The current high court building, an iconic structure located near Flora Fountain (Hutatma Chowk), has been in use since November 1878 and is a noted heritage site.
The proposed new complex in Bandra is designed to enhance the functionality and capacity of the high court, featuring advanced courtrooms, chambers for judges and registry staff, and facilities such as an arbitration and mediation center, an auditorium, and a comprehensive library. These facilities are intended to better serve the needs of staff, lawyers, and litigants.
Additionally, during the proceedings, the issue of relocating the Bombay High Court’s mediation center to the Air India building in south Mumbai was discussed. The bench highlighted the collaborative nature of the discussions surrounding the high court’s expansion and modernization plans, indicating a collective effort to resolve any outstanding issues amicably.
The case, initiated suo motu by the Supreme Court under the title ‘Heritage Building of the Bombay High Court and allotment of additional lands for the High Court,’ addresses the urgent accommodation needs of the judiciary in Mumbai. The Bombay High Court, established on August 16, 1862, exercises jurisdiction not only over Maharashtra—with principal seats in Mumbai and benches in Nagpur and Aurangabad—but also over Goa and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
