Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya YV Chandrachud will inaugurate the new North Goa District Court Complex at Merces, on Saturday. The inauguration of the technologically advanced Court complex at 11.30 am on October 19, is expected to usher in a new era of speedy, efficient and accessible justice delivery system for the District Judiciary in the State.
The complex comprises of Virtual Court rooms with digital facilities, E-Sewa Kendra, Digital Case Management and e-filing systems, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and visual impaired user friendly Court Complex with ramps, washrooms and introduction of braille script on all sign boards, vulnerable witness room and witness protection rooms, exclusive space for permanent Lok Adalats, regular Lok Adalats, mediation and arbitration proceedings, clinic with medical team housed within the complex, facility of ATM’s provided by three banks, stationary room, photocopying/scanning rooms are housed in the complex, barracks for police personnel deployed at the Court Complex and Crèche facility for children of litigants and staff, multipurpose hall with audio-visual equipment with capacity of 300 persons for holding legal workshops and seminars, waiting rooms for accused persons and legal aid clinics.
The plot admeasuring 20,091 square metres was acquired by the State government in 2009. The foundation stone for construction of the present complex was laid by the then Chief Justice of the High Court of Bombay Justice Swatter Kumar, on September 2, 2011.
CJI Chandrachud has always emphasised the principle that working conditions of the District Judiciary must be improved in terms of better technology and work atmosphere to facilitate speedy and effective justice. The New Court Complex for the first time pioneer the virtual hearing of case by the District Judiciary introducing better working conditions such as video conferencing facilities in all the court halls with audio-video facilities.
While designing the structure, care has been taken to accommodate litigants, members of the bar, public prosecutors, staff and administration along with parking arrangements which can accommodate about 326 vehicles, at different levels of the complex.
The complex has an environment friendly design where waste water is recycled at the ‘Sewage Treatment Plant’ and reused in the garden and cisterns. Each Court hall room accommodates 30 litigants and 24 members of the bar. At different places comfortable waiting areas are provided for the litigants visiting the Court Complex.
The project has been established to facilitate speedy and effective working of the District Judiciary ensuring protection of rights of victims/witnesses and litigants at large through smooth, speedy and effective justice delivery system. The Office of the District Legal Service Authority, North Goa has been also housed in the Court complex to facilitate access to free legal aid in Toluca and District Courts.