HC asks govt to release funds for Navi Mumbai court building

The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to release by November 10 the sum of Rs 4.23 crore which has been earmarked for the construction of a court complex in CBD Belapur in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.
The division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka passed the order on a petition filed by Navi Mumbai Advocates Association which has been demanding construction of a single complex to house various courts in the township.
Advocate Mukesh Vashi, the Association's lawyer, pointed out that construction could not begin as the government was yet to release the money allocated for the work.

The court also issued a notice to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, seeking an explanation as to why it had not provided water connection for the construction.
The bench directed the civic body to send an officer of the rank not below the Deputy Municipal Commissioner for the next hearing on November 10 for proffering the explanation.
The petition has been clubbed with another petition which seeks expansion of the High Court, filed by the late advocate M P Vashi. Now Mukesh Vashi, his lawyer, would appear in the matter.
According to this petition, the Government had offered a plot at Wadala, near Dadar here, for expansion of the court, but the High Court administration rejected the proposal.