Punjab & Haryana HC’s expansion now set for Unesco ‘hearing’ in July
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, an integral part of the Le Corbusier-designed Capitol Complex and a UNESCO world heritage site, is set for a major expansion with a proposed new complex spread over 20.49 lakh square feet, even as its iconic skyline and eye-level view from the public plaza will remain unchanged.
The revised holistic development plan for the long-pending expansion has finally been submitted to the Foundation Le Corbusier in Paris through the Union Ministry of Culture and will be taken up by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC) at its 48th session to be held in Busan, Korea, from July 19 to 29. The project can move forward only after receiving clearance from the WHC.
According to the project note exclusively accessed by The Tribune, the proposal envisages construction of three new blocks along with three basements on vacant land currently being used largely for surface parking in the High Court complex. Officials said the new buildings have been carefully designed so that these do not interfere with the heritage façade, skyline or the visual axis of the High Court as seen from the Capitol Complex plaza.
The WHC had, at its 45th session in Riyadh in September 2023, put the High Court expansion on hold, citing concerns over possible adverse impact on the site’s outstanding universal value. The fresh submission follows extensive redesign and international consultations.
Given the transnational nature of the Le Corbusier World Heritage inscription, the Chandigarh Administration held discussions in Geneva in September 2025 with six partner countries to secure unanimous consent for any modification to the Capitol Complex.
Confirming the development, UT Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad told The Tribune that the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee has decided to comply with the High Court’s directions and formally refer the concept design to UNESCO.
A detailed 28-slide presentation prepared by Delhi-based Design Associates Inc, accessed exclusively by The Tribune, lays out a comprehensive plan that retains the original façade and foreground of the High Court. The consultant, appointed through competitive bidding, will charge around 1.8 per cent of the project cost, which is currently estimated at between Rs 800 crore and Rs 900 crore. As per the plan, the new court block will include lower ground, ground and three upper floors, housing 32 new courtrooms, 40 judges’ chambers and substantial office space. Additional structures include a new entrance block, atrium, three new auxiliary blocks and a multi-level car parking facility.
The expansion is driven by acute space constraints. With pending cases crossing 4.12 lakh and the sanctioned strength of judges expected to rise to 110 by 2050, the existing infrastructure is operating far below prescribed standards for judges, staff, lawyers and litigants. Parking is another major concern, with demand far exceeding the current surface capacity, leading to congestion within and around the complex.
The plan proposes a three-level basement parking facility for about 2,450 vehicles, spread over more than 10 lakh square feet, which is expected to significantly ease traffic stress and restore open spaces at ground level.
Several ageing and temporary structures, many nearing the end of their service life, will be demolished to make way for the new development. Officials stressed that the buildable footprint, heights and massing strictly follow the limits recommended by ICOMOS and rely on dense tree cover to ensure visual screening at eye level.
If cleared by UNESCO, the project will mark one of the most significant heritage-sensitive expansions undertaken at the Capitol Complex since its inscription as a world heritage site.
Court complex expansion at a glance
Existing area: 7,20,665 sq ft
Built-up area after redevelopment: 15,24,001 sq ft
Total basement: 11,25,365 sq ft
Parking capacity: 2,450 vehicles
3 new blocks, 3 basements planned
32 courtrooms in new block
Estimated cost: Rs 800-900 cr
