Nagpur: Public Works Department on Monday submitted a 15-day bar chart to Nagpur bench of Bombay high court for renovation of its historic old court building, fixing deadlines for each stage of work till October 7.A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Rajnish Vyas took the schedule on record and directed PWD to submit a progress report along with the next bar chart on October 12. If the work is not completed within the stipulated timeline, the department will have to place the contractor’s explanation for the delay before the court.The direction came during the hearing of a suo motu PIL over the deteriorating condition of the century-old heritage structure. The matter will be heard next on October 12.Mugdha Chandurkar appeared for Centre, additional govt pleader Deepak Thakare for the state govt and Ashutosh Dharmadhikari as amicus curiae.The bench made it clear that every bar chart would be treated as the contractor’s commitment to complete the specified work within the prescribed timeframe, making the contractor responsible for adhering to the schedule.The renovation project has an estimated cost of around Rs 30 crore. Centre has so far sanctioned Rs 16.92 crore as the first instalment. Centre and the state govt had earlier informed HC that the tender process would be initiated within 10 days and the work order issued within 45 days.As the old court building is a protected heritage structure, the renovation has to be carried out in accordance with the rules and guidelines of Archaeological Survey of India.The matter has witnessed repeated hearings over the past several months amid growing concern about the condition of the colonial-era structure, which remains one of Nagpur’s prominent judicial landmarks.
