Nothing civil about this court complex

Nothing civil about this court complex


N R Madhusudhan
First Published : 26 Dec 2008 04:05:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 26 Dec 2008 10:09:26 AM IST

BANGALORE: An eight-storey complex with 78 different courts receiving about 20,000 to 30,000 people daily has only six drinking water machines. This speaks volumes for the apathetic state of affairs at the City Civil Court Complex here.

The 78 courts that function out of this complex include civil courts, fast track courts, small cause courts and rural courts, but facilities to cater to the teeming numbers who flock this place on a working day are minimal. Eateries, toilets, rest rooms and drinking water supply units are difficult to come by, and the available few are only an apology.

The six water machines installed a few years ago thanks to the sponsorship of a few banks are not fit for drinking.

With the machines’ vital parts getting rusted, people no longer use them to quench their thirst.

Barring a medium-sized restaurant, a host of canteens are all that people are left to contend with.

The restaurant and the canteens are normally crowded, while the quality of food served and hygiene are issues in themselves. Lack of choice means they are always crowded.

M Narayanswamy, an advocate, said: “We do not use the water dispensing machines as they are rusted and dirty. The dispenser has a filter attached to it but no one drinks from it.

Some of us carry water, but most of us go to the restaurants for water.” Another advocate Dattatreya Desai poured out his woes: “There are no good restaurants in the vicinity. To go to a good restaurant we head for the Majestic area. We have to forget our professional dignity when we eat in the restaurants around the court. At times we have to stand and eat. And the taste is also not so great.”