HC Flags ‘Misleading’ Cost Cuts in Court Projects, Raps PWD Officials The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court recently issued a sharp critique of the government’s handling of judicial infrastructure projects, accusing officials of misleading cost reductions and administrative negligence that have stalled critical developments. The court’s intervention came during a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Janmanch president Rajiv Jagtap, which highlighted systemic issues in the execution of projects like the Lawyers’ Hall at the District Court in Gadchiroli and the delayed construction of the Chandrapur district court building. The bench, comprising Justices Anil Pansare and Nivedita Mehta, expressed concern over a significant reduction in the estimated cost of constructing the Lawyers’ Hall, which was slashed from ₹2.18 crore to ₹1.4 crore. The court argued that this “misleading” cost cut had rendered the project unviable, citing confusion among Public Works Department (PWD) officials as a key barrier to progress. “It appears that because of the confusion between the PWD officers, the citizens at large are suffering,” the bench observed, emphasizing that such delays undermine the right to timely justice. The court also raised broader concerns about the government’s practice of drastically cutting project estimates, which it warned could be a “strategic move” to create the illusion of approvals without adequate funding. “Such a stand is misleading,” the bench stated, suggesting that these practices risk compromising the quality and completion of judicial infrastructure. In Chandrapur, the court highlighted severe delays in the construction of the district court building, despite multiple notices issued to the contractor.#bombay_high_court #public_works_department #rajiv_jagtap #janmanch #chandrapur_district_court
