Assam: Ex-CJ of HC identified new location, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that in 2022 the then Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Sandeep Mehta, had suggested the need for a new location of the Gauhati High Court. After visiting several sites in and around Guwahati, Justice Mehta identified the Rangmahal site as suitable. Following the selection of the site, planning began to construct a modern high court complex, in keeping with the traditions of the Gauhati High Court while incorporating advanced technology and elegant infrastructure, he said at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Integrated Judicial Court Complex at Rangmahal in North Guwahati today.

Dr Sarma further stated that during the tenure of Justice Vijay Bishnoi as Chief Justice, the design and layout of the new building and complex were prepared, and accordingly, 148 bighas of land were acquired. The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the people of Rangmahal, stating that they made such valuable land available out of respect for the judiciary. He stated that while preparing the design, suggestions were taken from Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan as well as from all judges of the Gauhati High Court, and that the tender was floated only after approval by the full court of the High Court.

Dr. Sarma said that the new high court building will initially have 31 courtrooms so that advocates and litigants can sit inside and observe the proceedings. There will be 300 chambers for advocates and seating facilities for 2,000 lawyers. A six-storey building will be constructed for administrative functions of the High Court, and provision has been made for an additional 15 courtrooms in the future. The complex will also house 65 courts, including the District and Sessions Courts of Kamrup and Kamrup Metropolitan districts, Motor Accident Claims Tribunals and Industrial Tribunals, along with seating facilities for another 2,000 advocates. Additional amenities will include an auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,000, examination halls for conducting High Court examinations, a well-equipped hospital, a cafeteria, a canteen; and green spaces, he said.

Dr Sarma, moreover, said that Guwahati is undergoing a transformation and will be entirely different in the next 10 years. He noted that the proposed Narengi-Kuruwa bridge over the Brahmaputra, located 7-8 km from Rangmahal, will enable advocates and litigants from Nagaon and Jagiroad to reach Rangmahal directly from Sonapur. Those coming from Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang will be able to access Rangmahal via the Ring Road, while advocates from Boko and Chaygaon will travel via Saraighat Bridge. The trumpet interchange under construction at Gauripur, scheduled to be completed by July, will further facilitate faster connectivity. Consequently, areas such as Rangmahal, North Guwahati, Chandrapur and Kuruwa will emerge as the new central zone of Guwahati.

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