Noida: Heavy rain over the last two days left large parts of the Surajpur district court campus waterlogged, causing inconvenience to litigants, judicial officers and advocates on Friday. While court proceedings continued, movement between court buildings became difficult. Visitors and litigants alike were seen wading through nearly knee-deep water on the premises.The Surajpur court campus, spread over 30 acres of land, is home to both the old court building and the new building being constructed in phases. There is a large low-lying open space on the premises that is left flooded during showers. Water gathering in this space flows into the buildings. At least nine courtrooms in the old building were flooded on Friday, with the magisterial courts and fast track court being the worst affected.According to court nazir Arwind Kumar, waterlogging during rain has become a prominent issue near gate 4 since the level of the road outside was increased over the last few years. Water can no longer drain out of the campus, while water from outside flows in. Kumar, however, added that the gates were raised and the level near the entrance was also slightly increased recently.“Water from the campus only starts draining out once the drains outside the campus are clear. We have a water-harvesting system, but the standing water has to reach there, and it does not have such a path at the moment,” he said.Kumar added the problem is likely to be resolved once construction on the new building set to come up on the open space is completed.When asked about the issue, court manager Anchal Chaturvedi said infrastructural issues like this were under the purview of the court nazir. “We urge the administration to find a resolution,” she added.Gautam Budh Nagar Bar Association secretary Ajit Nagar said that they approached the civil administration with a complaint last year and some work was undertaken. “It falls under work circle 3. Unless the Authority takes it seriously to ensure the water does not flow into the campus, the space is going to keep getting inundated whenever it rains,” he said.Advocate Sameer Saifi said that waterlogging on the court campus makes it difficult for lawyers, who are in uniform and leather shoes, to navigate the premises. “The entire parking area has turned into a pond, and it is difficult stepping out of the car into that water,” he said, pointing to some advocates who had taken off their shoes to wade through the water.
