Advocate Vijay Bansal, the State President of Shivalk Vikas Manch, has raised concerns over administrative and governance lapses causing significant delays in the construction of the proposed Mini-Secretariat and Judicial Complex in the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) Panchkula Urban Complex. In response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed under the notice of Civil Writ Petition No. 61/2023, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Haryana government to provide an explanation.
The matter was heard on November 15, with Chief Acting Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Nidhi Gupta instructing the government to respond. The government’s reply on December 11 revealed that a new layout plan for the Judicial Complex in Kalka had been formulated during a Building Committee meeting. This plan includes modifications to create space for lawyers’ chambers, public parking, and residential quarters for judicial officers.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the current status of the Judicial Complex, Advocate Vijay Bansal emphasized the need for swift action to address the challenges faced by lawyers and the public due to inadequate facilities. The next hearing is scheduled for January 22.
Earlier, on March 25, Vijay Bansal had issued legal notices to key officials, including the Chief Secretary of Haryana and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Haryana Public Works Department. Despite these actions, no progress was observed, leading to the filing of the PIL.
According to information obtained through RTI, the allocated land for the Judicial Complex in Kalka is 3.72 acres in HUDA Panchkula Urban Complex, Sector 28, with an approved budget of Rs. 13,31,73,000. However, bureaucratic delays prevented construction from commencing, despite the technical handover to a construction company on December 16, 2021.
