The High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur, taking suo moto cognizance of a newspaper report detailing the plight of disabled employees and the public due to non-functional lifts in a major government building, has directed the Secretary of the Public Works Department to file a personal affidavit on the matter.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru initiated the Public Interest Litigation (WPPIL No. 99 of 2025) after noting a news item published in the “Dainik Bhaskar, Bilaspur Bhaskar” newspaper dated 08.11.2025, which the Court observed showed a “deeply concerning state of affairs.”
Background of the Case
The Court took judicial notice of the news report titled “कंपोजिट बिल्डिंग की लिफ्ट 6 महीने से खराब, दिव्यांग मुश्किल से चढ़ रहे सीढ़ियां… क्या सिस्टम बैसाखी पर है?” (Composite building’s lift broken for 6 months, disabled persons climbing stairs with difficulty… Is the system on crutches?).
The judgment summarized the news report, stating that the elevator in the new composite Government building, which houses 22 different Government departments, has been “out of order for the past six months.” It also noted that a new lift under construction has not been made functional, “reportedly due to delays in installation work such as granite fitting.”
The Court order detailed the facts reported, noting the three-storey building, with 72 stairs, currently has no operational lift. Approximately 250 government officials and 250 citizens visit the building daily.
A “particularly distressing aspect” highlighted by the Court from the news item was that four disabled employees are posted in the building: Santoshi Dhruv (Labour Inspector), Deepak Tiwari (Planning and Statistics Department), and K.S. Paikra and S. Yadav (Town and Country Planning Department). The order stated that these employees “are compelled to climb the stairs daily,” and described the “severe physical strain” on Labour Inspector Santoshi Dhruv, who uses crutches.
The Court also observed that the news report pointed out a “complete disregard” for government rules mandating functional lifts, ramps, and wheelchair facilities, and noted the failure to provide temporary arrangements on the ground floor.
Furthermore, the judgment recorded that the report alleged a lack of basic amenities, such as drinking water, in the building, which was constructed in 2013 at a cost of approximately Rs. 8 crore, forcing employees to pool funds to buy water.
Arguments and Court’s Analysis
Appearing for the State/respondents, Mr. Prafull N. Bharat, learned Advocate General, assisted by Mr. Yashwant Singh Thakur, learned Additional Advocate General, submitted that he required time to “seek detailed instructions from the concerned authorities.”
The Advocate General stated that the matter involves “accessibility challenges faced by disabled Government employees, pregnant staff members, and the general public,” as well as the alleged lack of basic facilities.
The High Court, “Having regard to the gravity of the situation disclosed in the newspaper article,” granted the time requested.
The Bench observed, “Considering the fact that the issues of grave public importance highlighted in the aforesaid news report, this Court deems it appropriate to call for the personal response of the authority concerned.”
The Court’s Decision
The High Court directed the Secretary, Public Works Department, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nava Raipur, to file his “personal affidavit.”
The affidavit must “clearly indicating” the following:
- The present status of the repair of the existing lift.
- The reasons for the prolonged delay in making the new lift operational.
- The timeline within which both lifts shall be made functional.
- The steps proposed to ensure accessibility and availability of basic amenities within the composite Government building.
The Court ordered the affidavit to be filed before the next date of hearing and listed the matter for 13.11.2025.
