A newspaper report about a nonfunctional lift in a new government complex has prompted the Chhattisgarh High Court to demand an explanation from the Public Works Department. The court took suo moto cognizance of a Dainik Bhaskar story that described how the building that houses 22 government departments has been operating without a working elevator for roughly six months, affecting about 250 employees and hundreds of daily visitors. The bench recorded the report’s troubling details and asked the PWD to file a personal affidavit explaining the delay and offering a timeline to fix the problem.
The composite building, opened in 2013 at an estimated cost of Rs. 8 crore, stands three storeys high and contains 72 steps. According to the court record, the existing lift has been out of order for six months while a second lift, still under installation, has been delayed by works such as granite fitting. The delay has left employees and citizens to climb stairs daily, and the court noted special hardship for staff with disabilities. The news item named four government employees who are physically disabled and detailed the daily struggle of one labour inspector who must use crutches to mount 24 steps to reach the first floor.
Beyond accessibility, the report also highlighted the absence of basic amenities. Court documents record that there is no drinking water facility on any floor and that employees have been pooling money to buy bottled water. The report said that government rules require ramps, lifts, and ground floor arrangements when access facilities fail, but no temporary measures appear to have been provided. Those facts and the human impact they describe were significant factors in the court’s decision to seek an immediate response from the PWD.
At the hearing, the Advocate General informed the court that he needed time to get instructions from the relevant authorities. The bench granted that time but also directed the Secretary of Public Works Department to file a personal affidavit setting out the present status of the repair of the existing lift, reasons for the prolonged delay in making the new lift operational, the timeline for bringing both lifts into service, and proposed steps to ensure accessibility and basic amenities. The matter is listed for further hearing on 13 November 2025.
Legal and administrative observers say the court’s swift engagement underscores how infrastructure lapses in public buildings are a matter of public justice and statutory duty. For disabled employees, pregnant staff, and older visitors, a working lift is not a convenience; it is essential to equal access to public services. The High Court’s order aims to make the PWD account for the lapse and to force concrete remedial measures so that the building’s facilities match the requirements of accessibility law and internal government directives.
If the PWD’s affidavit provides a clear schedule and immediate temporary solutions such as ground floor service points, ramps, or a temporary lift, the case may be resolved quickly. If not, the court’s next hearing could lead to stronger directions or supervisory measures. For now, the order shows the judiciary responding to a press report that placed the hardships of ordinary government workers and visitors at the center of a public interest intervention.
Case Details : WPPIL No. 99 of 2025, In The Matter of Suo Moto Public Intrest Litigation, Regarding News Item Namely Asanvedansheel Prashashan Purani Lift Band, Nayi Granite Ke Intejar Me Shuru Nahi Composite Building Ki Lift 6 Mahine Se Kharab, Divyang Mushkil Se Chadh Rahe Seedhiyan… Kya System Baishakhi Par Hai Published In Daily Newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, Bilaspur Bhaskar Dated 8th November, 2025 vs State of Chhattisgarh and Others
