Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai recently inaugurated a new court building at Mandangad in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, marking a major step in strengthening judicial access in the Konkan region.
The inauguration carried symbolic weight, as Mandangad Taluka is home to Ambadve - the ancestral village of Dr BR Ambedkar. To honour his legacy, Justice Gavai also unveiled a statue of Dr Ambedkar and murals depicting milestones from his life.
The CJI stressed that grassroots judicial infrastructure was essential to reinforce people’s trust in the legal system and to realise the promise of accessible justice.
“The country has remained united and on the path of development in war and peace. We have seen internal Emergency as well, but we have remained strong and united. It is because of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution,” Justice Gavai said.
Reflecting on his judicial career, he noted that his focus had always been on ensuring decentralisation of justice and completion of infrastructure projects.
“In the last 22 years as a judge, I have stood for decentralisation of justice and ensured several judicial infrastructure projects are completed. What gives me immense satisfaction is the Kolhapur circuit bench (of the Bombay High Court) and this Mandangad court building, which has been completed in two years,” the Chief Justice of India said.
The event was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Bombay High Court Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekar, Justices Makarand Karnik and Madhav Jamdar, Guardian Minister Uday Samant, and several senior members of the judiciary.
Calling the project a long-cherished dream, CJI Gavai thanked the Maharashtra government for its support.
“Even though the doctrine of separation of powers of executive and judiciary is expected to deliver justice to people, judiciary has to get cooperation from the executive in terms of funds to ensure justice reaches one and all. Court buildings have been inaugurated recently in Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Daryapur. I feel proud about the quality of their construction,” he added.
The new court building has modern courtrooms, digital infrastructure and amenities designed to handle the increasing caseload of the region.