Plan to set up Judicial City in Kochi gains momentum

Kerala has finalised the design for its ambitious Judicial City project in Kalamassery, a transformative initiative expected to take 1015 years to complete. Planned on 27 acres under HMT Ltd, the sprawling campus will feature a 28-lakh-sqft High Court complex, a judicial academy, and a mediation centre. Although the land is currently under litigation, the state government is confident of receiving legal clearance soon. If not, it is prepared to deposit compensation in court and proceed with the project. The idea of the Judicial City was first proposed by the Kerala High Court administration, which has long grappled with severe space constraints at its current location near Marine Drive in Ernakulam. Expansion at the existing site is no longer feasible due to the lack of adjacent land, pending notification of eco-sensitive zones, and competing development projects such as the proposed Exhibition City. Against this backdrop, in February last year, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and then Kerala Chief Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai endorsed the proposal to relocate the court to Kalamassery a centrally located area with significantly better connectivity. Law Minister P Rajeeve describes the move as long-term but unavoidable. This is not an overnight plan. It is a project for the future, to ensure Keralas judiciary has the space and infrastructure it requires for decades to come, he tells TNIE. P Rajeeve The design is ready. The land issue is being addressed, and if required, the government will deposit the compensation amount in the Supreme Court and move ahead. We have done this before, in the SeaportAirport Road and Sutherland projects on the same tract of land under HMT. We will do it again. Rajeeve informs that the state has already constituted a four-member committee comprising representatives from the government and HMT to expedite discussions. The HMT land lock The PSUs vast land bank in Kalamassery has been a source of umpteen disputes and disagreements for decades. Of the 900 acres originally handed over to HMT in the 1960s, successive state governments have sought portions for public projects. Today, only 27 acres that can be directly sold remain in HMTs hands. Any transfer of additional land requires the Union governments permission. P Krishnadas, secretary of the HMT Employees Union (CITU), acknowledges the long-standing dispute but views the Judicial City as an opportunity for change. HMT-Bengaluru has been selling its land at its Kalamassery unit and taking away the money, while the state has gained nothing, he alleges. If the state can reclaim land for a project of this stature, it will finally benefit the people of Kerala. Metro connectivity, underpass at HMT Junction Connectivity is key for a project of this scale, and the government is planning accordingly. The proposed Judicial City will sit alongside the busy SeaportAirport Road, with plans to decongest the HMT Junction through the construction of an underpass. Equally significant is the proposal to integrate the Judicial City into the Kochi Metro network. We are actively considering metro connectivity to the site, says Rajeeve. This will make access seamless for judges, lawyers, staff, and the public. A feasibility study is on the cards. Advocates object Not everyone is convinced. Sections of the legal fraternity have expressed concerns about relocating from the current location, citing convenience, tradition, and traffic congestion in Kalamassery. Lawyer Nandakumar M R, secretary of the Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA), points out the legal wrangle over the parcel of land. The matter is before the Supreme Court. Unless the issue is settled, plans to move the High Court to Kalamassery would be premature, he says. KHCAA president Yeshwanth Shenoy has been more vocal. As long as the general body (of KHCAA) continues to have a voice, the High Court of Kerala is not shifting to Kalamassery or elsewhere, irrespective of whether it is the chief minister or the law minister who is interested in it, he had said when the proposal came up in February last year. In fact, the association raised a barrage of criticism in a petition filed in the High Court last year. A tract of land under HMT Ltd. where the Judicial City is proposed. The advocates need to be taken into confidence even while planning such moves: The opposition of advocates solely arises because of the total lack of consultation with the advocates. Judges spend 10-15 years on an average in any High Court, but it is the advocates who spend a lifetime. Yet, no one thought it necessary to consult the association before any decision was made, the petition noted. The advocates do not see any reason for the change, the advocates see wastage of hundreds of crores and also further expenditure of public funds without any adequate reasoning and consider it necessary to hold persons accountable. The association also noted that the 2023 state budget allocated about `2,000 crore for a commercial and residential complex on Housing Board land. The High Court had apparently requested this land for expansion. The intent of the Government is clear that they do not want to part with that land. The land has to have buffer zones and cannot be developed for commercial interests, the petition highlighted. The only development would be for sovereign requirements and the High Court would fully qualify for the same and we suggest that we continue to pursue this land. In any case, there are many other lands around the present building that can be made available to the High Court provided the government has such an intent. Former acting chief justice of the Madras High Court, K Narayana Kurup, also sounds a note of caution. It should not be like transferring the handicap from one leg to another. The existing structure is alright for now. If we are to move, there must be proper parking and wider roads leading to Kalamassery. A detailed study by competent people is essential, he tells TNIE. Rajeeve, however, remains unfazed. Any major initiative will have objections from some quarters. That is par for the course, he says. What matters is the long-term interest of the state and its people. We will address all legal and logistical challenges as we move forward. Notably, the government has already committed `109 crore for land acquisition and has held multiple rounds of consultations with HMT and the judiciary. A site inspection earlier this year by a team of High Court judges, along with senior ministers, further cemented confidence in the project. If completed as planned, the Judicial City will be a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, bringing together judicial institutions, training academies, and mediation facilities under one roof in a purpose-built campus. For Kerala, the Judicial City is more than just the relocation of the High Court. It is a statement of intent: that justice deserves not just dignity in its delivery, but also world-class infrastructure to flourish in.