The Jalpaiguri district administration on Thursday handed over the permanent infrastructure of the upcoming Jalpaiguri circuit bench to Calcutta High Court Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam.
Shama Parveen, the district magistrate, handed over the documents of the permanent building that has come up near Paharpur in Jalpaiguri to Justice Sivagnanam in the presence of other judges and officials of the Calcutta High Court.
“The district administration has handed over the deed and other documents of the permanent infrastructure of the circuit bench today (Thursday). It is a memorable day. The monsoon season is ahead, and it will take some time to finish the remaining work on the infrastructure. It will be opened soon and help in providing legal aid to the people of north Bengal,” the Chief Justice told newspersons.
On Thursday morning, the Chief Justice reached the site of the permanent infrastructure with Justice Biswajit Basu and Justice Shampa Sarkar. They were accompanied by the registrar general and some other officers of the Calcutta High Court.
Jalpaiguri district magistrate Shama Parveen was there with the superintendent of police Umesh Khandbahale Ganpath and other officers.
Justice Sivagnanam inspected the infrastructure, held a meeting at the building and later went to the Station Road in Jalpaiguri town to visit the temporary infrastructure of the circuit bench. Later, he left for Calcutta.
Sources in the administration said the main building of the circuit bench is a five-storey structure with the court of the Chief Justice and 10 other courts. Added to it are a library, six rooms for lawyers, space for the legal service authority, a meditation room, a data centre and offices of the advocate general, additional advocate general, solicitor general, government lawyers and others.
“There will be seven entry points to the infrastructure. The complex will have residences of the Chief Justice and 10 other judges, 80 quarters of employees, an auditorium, a club for judges, police barracks, a post office, a bank, parking space and ATM counters,” said a source.
An official of the district administration said some work on the boundary wall, gates and staff quarters was left.
“Work is in progress and we believe these would be complete within another one-and-a-half months,” said the official.