Gurugram's Tower of Justice Inaugurated After Nine-Year Delay
Nearly five decades after Gurugram received its first court complex, the city transitioned into a new judicial hub on Sunday as Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant inaugurated the 'Tower of Justice,' one of North India's largest court complexes. The project, first announced nine years ago, gained urgency following a recent fire at the old district court complex, which accelerated the long-pending inauguration.
Foundation Stones Laid for Additional Courts
During the same ceremony, the CJI laid the foundation stones for the Tawadu and Punhana judicial complexes in Nuh district via virtual mode. The event was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Rao Inderjit Singh, Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikram Nath, and acting Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, among other senior judges and state officials. In a unique gesture, dignitaries honored construction workers who built the complex with mementoes.
Features of the New Complex
Spread over nearly seven acres, the complex comprises two towers housing 55 courtrooms, an increase from the previous 45. It also includes a bank, post office, Bar library, mediation centre, video conferencing facilities, and a judicial record room. A proposed International Arbitration Centre, to function under High Court supervision, is planned for the site.
CJI Highlights Rising Disputes in Gurugram
Justice Surya Kant noted that Gurugram's transformation from an agricultural belt into a hub for over half of the Fortune 500 companies and more than 1,500 firms and start-ups has driven a rise in disputes. He reported that over 24,000 civil cases, nearly 1,000 commercial disputes, and more than a lakh cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act are pending. He emphasized that a court's true measure lies not in its grandeur but in how effectively it narrows the distance between citizens and justice.
CM Saini Calls for 'Ease of Justice'
Chief Minister Saini described the complex as a symbol of constitutional dignity and, invoking the Yudhishthira-Yaksha dialogue from the Mahabharata, said it stands on land linked to Guru Dronacharya and Mata Sheetla Devi. Drawing a parallel with 'Ease of Doing Business,' he stated that 'Ease of Justice' is equally vital for a Viksit Bharat by 2047. He announced that part of the old judicial complex would be earmarked for modern advocates' chambers.
Union Ministers Praise Project
Union Minister Khattar called the complex a step toward more dignified, accessible justice and urged greater reliance on mediation and Lok Adalats. Meghwal linked it to Gurugram's Dronacharya-era heritage and the Centre's e-Courts and e-Filing push under Prime Minister Modi's 'Reform, Perform, Transform' mantra.
High Court Chief Justice Calls Day Historic
Delivering the welcome address, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra called the day historic and a matter of pride for Gurugram, crediting the CJI's vision and the collective efforts of the Haryana government and PWD, as well as construction workers, masons, and engineers whose labor turned that vision into reality.
Administrative Efforts Behind the Project
The ceremony marked the culmination of months of sustained administrative work under Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi, who took charge as Chairman of the High Court Building Committee for Haryana last November, when a substantial part of the project was still awaiting completion. Delivering the vote of thanks, he credited the coordinated effort of the CJI, the Haryana government, fellow judges, the Bar, Registry officers, judicial officers, and the district administration, observing that projects of such scale come together only when every institution shares a common purpose.
