Coimbatore: The state govt has sanctioned 54.9 crore for constructing a new court complex on the premises of ‘Kuthirai Vandi Court' (old Labour Court) adjacent to the collectorate in the city.
The four-storey new building will accommodate 12 courts and is expected to address space constraints at the Coimbatore combined district court complex.
The new building will also have facilities for child witnesses and vulnerable witnesses.
The Coimbatore combined district court complex, spread over 7.17 acres and housing 43 courts, grapples with a severe space crunch.
The complex houses the old district munsif court, sessions court, law chambers, judges' chambers, offices, rooms for govt pleaders and public prosecutors, the District Legal Services Authority, and the Alternate Dispute Redressal Centre.
There is no vacant land available within the complex for constructing new buildings. The existing structures have already reached their maximum allowable floors. It also lacks sufficient parking facilities for advocates and litigants.
Meanwhile, the restoration of the British-era ‘Kuthirai Vandi Court,' a historical landmark in Coimbatore, is ongoing at an estimated cost of 9 crore.
Located on a 2.6-acre plot along Avinashi Road, the building was constructed in 1863 and earned its name because horse-drawn cart drivers were fined for traffic violations there during the colonial era.
The decrepit structure was taken up for restoration in 2021 following a recommendation by the judicial department, with work expected to conclude soon. Once restored, the building will not serve as a court or office but will be preserved as a heritage monument.
A judicial department official said, "There is sufficient vacant land within the ‘Kuthirai Vandi Court' premises to construct a new court building. Based on recommendations from the judiciary, the govt sanctioned 54.9 crore for this project, which will partially resolve the space constraints at the combined court complex."
"If special courts such as family courts, Pocso court and the TNPID (Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors Act) court moved to the new building, the congestion in the present combined court complex would reduce," an advocate said.