Earlier, The Supreme Court found the High Court’s orders to be reasonable and in line with the principles of sustainable development.
New Delhi – On May 28, 2025, the Supreme Court of India upheld a series of directives issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, allowing the construction of a verandah outside Courtroom No. 1 and the installation of green paver blocks in the open parking area of the Chandigarh Capitol Complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This decision was made by a bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, who dismissed the appeals filed by the Chandigarh Administration. These appeals raised concerns that the High Court’s orders might threaten the UNESCO heritage status of the Capitol Complex.
The case arose from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Vinod Dhattarwal and others, highlighting key problems faced by litigants and lawyers, such as lack of proper parking and no shelter outside Courtroom No. 1, where the Chief Justice sits.
The PIL asked the court to provide solutions for these issues while also considering environmental and heritage concerns.
The Chandigarh Capitol Complex, designed by famous architect Le Corbusier in the 1950s, includes the High Court, Secretariat, and Legislative Assembly. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. Because of its heritage status, any structural change needs to follow strict global preservation rules.
The Chandigarh Administration argued that building a verandah outside Courtroom No. 1 could damage the site’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and might even lead to the loss of its World Heritage tag. It also said that the area used for parking, marked as a green belt in the Chandigarh Master Plan 2031, should not be covered with paver blocks and should instead be used only for tree plantations.
The High Court had earlier passed several orders on 29 November 2024, 13 December 2024, 7 February 2025, and 21 February 2025, directing the Chandigarh Administration to construct a verandah similar to those outside Courtrooms Nos. 2 to 9.
It also ordered the use of eco-friendly green paver blocks in the kutcha parking area to tackle severe parking shortages, while also planting 100–200 trees to retain the green belt status.
Supreme-court Previous Ruling
The Supreme Court found the High Court’s orders to be reasonable and in line with the principles of sustainable development.
The court ruled that the new verandah would match the existing verandahs outside other courtrooms and would not count as “major restoration or new construction” under paragraph 172 of the UNESCO Operational Guidelines.
The court said:
“Modern architectural techniques could ensure a removable or collapsible verandah, preserving the building’s aesthetic and heritage value.”
It also referred to a 1956 letter from the Chandigarh Administration, which showed that a similar verandah had been considered before but was rejected by the then Chief Justice due to personal reasons. The bench found this outdated, saying:
“The dynamics of court functioning have changed significantly over the past seven decades, with rainwater seepage into Courtroom No. 1 causing damage and inconvenience.”
The court agreed with the High Court that green paver blocks should be used in the parking area, which is already used by 3,000–4,000 vehicles daily.
The bench said:
“Green pavers allow rainwater percolation, reducing dust and sludge while maintaining ecological balance.”
To improve greenery, the court also asked the High Court administration to:
“Consult landscaping experts to plant trees at regular intervals alongside the pavers, enhancing both parking facilities and green cover.”
The Supreme Court referred to its own decision in Rajeev Suri v. Delhi Development Authority (2021) and explained that:
“Sustainable development is a balance between environmental preservation and public interest.”
The court found that the High Court’s orders had struck this balance well.
The Supreme Court gave the Chandigarh Administration 12 weeks to follow the order to build the verandah. It also put contempt proceedings against Chief Engineer C.B. Ojha on hold. These proceedings came after the High Court’s 13 December 2024 order for non-compliance with its directive.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Chandigarh Administration, said:
“The verandah construction required prior approval from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and Fondation Le Corbusier, Paris, to avoid jeopardising the Capitol Complex’s heritage status.”
He also opposed the use of paver blocks, saying that the Chandigarh Master Plan defines the parking area as a green belt.
On the other hand, Senior Advocate Nidhesh Gupta, representing the High Court, defended the move:
“The verandah was a minor, reversible addition, consistent with existing structures and necessary to protect litigants and the courtroom from weather damage.”
He also added:
“Green paver blocks were an eco-friendly solution to the parking crisis, with no adverse impact on the green belt’s ecological function.”
