Gurgaon: Declaring that “judicial infrastructure is no longer a luxury but a vital necessity”, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Sunday inaugurated the long-awaited Tower of Justice, saying courts must not only deliver speedy justice but also inspire confidence by providing litigants with dignity, accessibility and modern facilities.The inauguration marks a significant milestone for the city’s justice delivery system, which was forced to function from the PWD guesthouse after a devastating fire earlier this year rendered the old district court complex unusable.Calling the new complex a response to Gurgaon’s rapid transformation into one of the country’s biggest commercial hubs, the CJI said the city’s economic growth had inevitably fuelled a surge in litigation, making robust judicial infrastructure indispensable.“This project is not merely about constructing a building. It is about strengthening public faith in the justice delivery system,” he said, recalling that the foundation stone was laid in 2017 when he headed the buildings committee of the Punjab and Haryana high court. Sunday’s inauguration, he added, fulfilled a long-standing vision for one of north India’s largest judicial complexes.Highlighting the mounting burden on courts, the CJI said the city has over 34,000 pending civil cases, including more than 1,000 commercial disputes, besides over one lakh cheque dishonour cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act.“Where business, commerce and industry flourish, disputes are a natural consequence. It is the responsibility of constitutional institutions to ensure adequate judicial infrastructure for their timely resolution,” he said.Drawing a comparison with hospitals, Justice Kant said litigants deserve the same basic dignity as patients. “When economically and socially vulnerable citizens approach courts seeking justice, it is our duty to provide an environment that gives them hope and confidence,” he said, stressing the need for comfortable seating, clean washrooms, drinking water and other essential amenities.The CJI also called for gender-sensitive infrastructure. Referring to a nationwide survey conducted with the Supreme Court Bar Association, he said women advocates continue to face inadequate facilities in courts. Welcoming the dedicated ladies bar lounge in the new tower, he urged authorities to incorporate childcare rooms and exclusive facilities for women lawyers in future judicial projects.He emphasised that technology-enabled courtrooms, mediation centres and digital infrastructure would help reduce delays. “The optimum use of technology is possible only when adequate infrastructure exists,” he said, expressing confidence that the new complex would accelerate disposal of long-pending cases.Justice Kant also advocated unified district court complexes housing family courts, labour courts, consumer courts and other specialised forums under one campus, saying such integration would improve convenience for litigants and lawyers alike.Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini assured that the state would consider allocating land for lawyers’ chambers. Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh also backed the demand. Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Manohar Lal Khattar, judges of the Supreme Court and Punjab and Haryana high court, and other dignitaries attended the inauguration.
