The construction work of the Kodagu District Court Complex in Madikeri has reached its final stage.
The red coloured court complex situated on the outskirts of the city reminds one of the High Court building in Bengaluru.
A new building for the district court has been a long pending demand of judges, lawyers and the public.
The current court complex at Old Fort in Madikeri houses the courts of various levels. The building leaks in the rainy season, resulting in damage to documents.
The court proceedings are also hit due to the poor condition of the building. The Old Fort premises is currently under the jurisdiction of the archaeological department.
The department had been repeatedly requesting the administration to relocate the zilla panchayat office and the old court complex to the new premises so that the preservation works of the Old Fort Hall and the Madikeri Palace could be taken up.
Work on the new district court complex began in 2014 and is carried out at a cost of Rs 36 crore. The last stage of work is pending.
The building was supposed to be completed by this December. But heavy rains in June, July and August resulted in the delay. Now, the work is expected to the completed by the end of February 2019 and the courts will possibly function in the new building from the first week of April.
The three-storied court complex comprises of court hall, auditorium, record room, safety room and a separate room to accommodate the under-trails during the investigation. The installation of furniture in the court hall is in progress, said the contracted agency.
The workers said that care has been taken to ensure the safety of the new building.
The building has been designed in such a way that the building walls are protected from rain. During the incessant rains in August, there were incidents of minor landslides at the new court premises. Therefore, protective walls have been built around the court building.
There is also a parking facility in the new complex.