Madras High Court’s 133-year-old heritage building gets a new lease of life ahead of 163rd Anniversary as a special committee begins restoration. Justices R. Subramanian, R. Suresh Kumar, P.T. Asha, and N. Mala lead the ground floor revival effort.
The Madras High Court is about to reach an important milestone 163 years since it was set up on June 26, 1862, and 133 years since its heritage building was opened on July 12, 1892.
This is a great time to restore and improve the historic building, which still remains a busy centre for thousands of lawyers and people coming for court cases every day.
A dedicated committee, including Justices R. Subramanian, R. Suresh Kumar, P.T. Asha, and N. Mala, has devoted significant effort to transforming the neglected ground floor of the building into a charming space that evokes nostalgic memories.
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The entire two-storey structure now boasts a magnificent appearance.
According to S. Kulanthaiyan, Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), one of the biggest challenges faced during the renovation was relocating old case records stored in tall iron racks.
He noted,
“We had to spend considerable time on shifting those case bundles and then dismantling the racks using gas welding in order to free up the rooms,”
Following this, repairs were made to damaged walls and ceiling joints, stone arches were restored, and both interior and exterior walls were freshly whitewashed. Doors were varnished, and access points to the court buildings from various sides were reopened.
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The corridors received a facelift, vintage lighting was installed, and the walls were adorned with pencil sketches of iconic Chennai locations by renowned illustrator Manohar Devadoss.
Additionally, the committee prioritized reopening spiral staircases that connected the ground floor to the upper levels. These staircases had been locked for years and were used for storing discarded furniture and other items.
They had also remained shut due to security concerns after the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) began guarding the premises. The committee requested that the CISF assign additional personnel at these entry points to ensure safety.
On the exterior, multiple standalone overhead water tanks that obstructed the view of the heritage building were removed, with alternative water supply arrangements made to preserve the classic Indo-Saracenic architecture.
Advocate M.R. Jothimanian stated,
“The lawyers would always be indebted to the committee for having taken the pains to restore the glory of the heritage building. For us, the lawyers, this High Court building is virtually our second home because we spend most of our time over here and we know that it is not an easy job to keep such a beautiful edifice functional without turning it into a museum.”