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No Progress After Six Months, Revives ₹922 Crore Raika
The has revived a concerning the construction of the new High Court complex at Raika, Jammu, after the petitioner highlighted that no construction activity had taken place in the six months following an assurance of “substantial progress.” A of Justice Rajnesh Oswal and Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani allowed the of the earlier order disposing of the and directed all respondents to file a detailed .
Case Background: A Long-Promised Project
Filed by , the seeks directions for the release and allocation of the entire ₹922 crore sanctioned for the Raika High Court Complex and a comprehensive action-taken report with timelines. The project, which aims to ease acute infrastructure constraints at the existing Janipur complex—including limited access, traffic congestion, insufficient parking, and fire safety concerns—had its foundation stone laid on , by then Chief Justice of India Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud. The Detailed Project Report was prepared and forwarded in .
In , the court disposed of the after being informed that “substantial progress” had been made in formulating the proposal. However, the petitioner was granted liberty to seek revival if tangible results did not materialize.
Court Revives on No-Progress Grounds
Appearing for the petitioner, argued that despite the earlier assurance, more than six months had elapsed with no visible construction or preparatory work on the ground. The court observed:
“For the reasons set out in the application, duly supported with an affidavit, coupled with the submissions made by Mr. Sunil Sethi… the same is allowed and the order dated is recalled and the main is revived to its original number.”
The bench further noted a case for issuance of notice and recorded that “despite lapse of six months, there is no visible progress on the ground.”
Legal Analysis: Court’s Active Oversight
By reviving the , the court asserted its supervisory role over major public infrastructure projects that impact the administration of justice itself. The decision underscores the principle that assurances of progress must be backed by demonstrable action, and that the court will not hesitate to recall its own orders when public interest demands it. The direction to file a compels the respondents—including the , the , and the —to account for the delay and set out concrete steps going forward.
Key Observations from the Judgment
- “Despite lapse of six months, no construction activity or even the preparatory work for construction is visible on the ground.”
- “The same is allowed and the order dated is recalled and the main is revived to its original number.”
Court’s Decision and Next Steps
The disposed of the and listed the main petition for hearing on . All respondents have been directed to file a detailing the steps taken for the construction of the Raika High Court Complex by the next date. The revival of the signals that the court will closely monitor the progress of the ₹922 crore project, ensuring that the promise of a modern, eco-friendly judicial campus does not remain a paper commitment.
