Once completed, new Gauhati HC judicial complex likely to be India’s largest: CM

Guwahati, Aug 4: Despite strong opposition from the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) over the proposed relocation of the High Court complex, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the new judicial complex is likely to be the largest in the country.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of an official function in North Guwahati, where the new complex is planned, Sarma said that with 129 bighas (over 42.5 acres) of land already acquired, the project promises to be a grand one.

“I feel there is no other high court in India situated on such a large plot of land. It is going to be a big and beautiful project for Assam,” he said.

Elaborating on the proposed infrastructure, Sarma added, “We will construct the main High Court building along with subordinate courts. A judicial township is also planned. The architectural design is still under the consideration of the High Court and may take another month to finalise.”

The Chief Minister informed that the compensation process for landowners has already begun, and construction is expected to commence by the end of the year.

“We will construct the new Gauhati High Court building at Rangmahal. Today, we officially handed over compensation to the landowners from whom we had acquired the land,” Sarma said.

With land earmarked for the judicial township, the Public Works Department (PWD) will now take over and proceed with the next steps in construction.

“I believe the PWD will take control of the land soon and start the process. Usually, the tendering takes about 2–3 months. We hope to begin construction by the end of this year,” he added.

However, the relocation plan has faced stiff resistance. The Gauhati High Court Bar Association has been vehemently opposing the move to shift the complex from its current location in Uzan Bazar — in the heart of Guwahati on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra — to the northern side of the river.

Earlier, the association had demanded an immediate halt to the project, citing concerns in the interest of stakeholders and the general public.

The existing High Court complex includes a historic colonial-era building, alongside a newly constructed, multi-crore, state-of-the-art multi-storey facility, inaugurated just a few years ago.

The Assam government, meanwhile, is seeking to develop the riverfront along the Brahmaputra, which requires acquiring the current High Court land.

PTI