In the works: Swachh Nyayalaya project to clean up court rooms across India

Ostensibly in line with the Swachh Bharat campaign, the Supreme Court of India is proposing the launch of a Swachh Nyayalaya project with a view to renovating courts rooms across the country, particularly those in district courts..The Swachh Nyayalaya project will be undertaken by NITI Aayog and the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation along with the Department of Justice. The Supreme Court will oversee the same..The project involves a clean-up of all court rooms and buildings and facilitation of amenities like house-keeping, which will take care of cleanliness, white-washing, renovations etc. The Public Works Departments of states have been called upon to ensure the same..Given the space crunch that is characteristic of most court rooms, the project will also involve weeding out of unnecessary case files..Construction of toilets for both male and female lawyers and litigants – a facility that many courts sorely lack – is also being planned. These toilets will be equipped with vending machines that will dispense sanitary napkins, toilet paper, band-aids, etc. Garbage segregation in courts is also being planned..Addressing the need to renovate court buildings, it has been identified that the estimated amount for renovation is around Rs. 15-20 lakh per court. This would require a total outlay of Rs. 700 crore, to be provided by the Central government..The need to adhere to timelines for the Swacch Nyayalaya project has also been identified; it has been suggested that District Collectors be involved to ensure that these timelines are met. If all timelines are met, it is expected that the project will take one year to complete after the formal launch.