The morning light in Bandra East falls differently. It cuts through half-built towers, glints off scaffolding, and lands on an open patch of earth where white flags mark the edges of what will soon become one of Maharashtra’s largest public buildings. In three days, this ground will host the Bhoomi Poojan of the Bombay High Court’s new campus- a ceremony that many in the city’s legal circles describe simply as “finally.”

From Fort to a fresh start

For over a century, the Bombay High Court has sat inside a Gothic pile of stone at Fort. Its pointed arches and narrow stairways carry the sound of arguments that have shaped the state’s history. But the romance of the place has worn thin. The building leaks during monsoon; lawyers work shoulder to shoulder in corridors no wider than a corridor in a train station.

“Beautiful, yes,” said advocate Prashant Joshi, looking up at the carved ceilings last week, “but it’s like practising law inside a museum.”

The shift to Bandra East - a move talked about for years is now real. When the first foundation stones are laid on November 5, the court will begin its slow journey north, towards a space built for its own century.

How the plan took shape

The Public Works Department (PWD) confirmed on Friday that the tender for construction has been issued. The figure attached to it - ₹ 4 217 crore reflects how the project has grown since it was first mooted a decade ago. Back then the estimate stood at ₹ 3 750 crore. The revision covers new digital systems, sustainability features and security standards.

A PWD engineer on site described the timeline as “tight but possible.” If work starts soon after the ceremony, officials expect the new court complex to be ready within five years.

The project will unfold on about 21 acres of government land close to the Bandra-Kurla Complex. For a city that has run out of open plots, the sheer size is a luxury few institutions enjoy.

Why Bandra East works

The choice of Bandra East was practical. It sits at the mid-point between the suburbs and the old city, within minutes of railway and metro stations. For lawyers and litigants who travel daily from Thane or Navi Mumbai, this means hours saved each week.

“It’s not about luxury,” said junior lawyer Nikita Patel. “It’s about reaching court without fighting traffic for half the day.”

City planners call it a logical step. As offices and ministries shift north, the court’s move balances the map. It also frees the heritage zone around Fort from daily gridlock - a bonus for residents and tourists alike.

What the new complex will offer

PWD drawings show a cluster of towers and open lawns, with courtrooms linked by wide walkways. There will be dedicated spaces for bar associations, library blocks, a 1 000-seat auditorium and a mediation centre. Hybrid hearing rooms and digital filing counters will replace stacks of paper.

Architects say the structure will use natural light and ventilation where possible. “The idea is to make a building that feels open to people,” one designer explained. “It should say, ‘Justice belongs to you,’ not ‘Keep out.’”

Sustainability features - solar panels, rainwater harvesting, recycled materials - are part of the brief. For a city short on green public buildings, this matters.

Inside Fort, mixed feelings

At the existing site, news of the shift travels through corridors like a rumour. Clerks pause mid-file, lawyers argue over what the move will mean for old chambers.

Some welcome it. Others look around the stone arches and fall silent. “This place has a soul,” said senior advocate Vijaya Menon. “But we’ve outgrown it. Maybe the soul will follow us.”

Her words carry what many feel - a blend of pride and reluctance. Few institutions in Mumbai are as tied to their address as the Bombay High Court. Its move will rewrite part of the city’s mental map.

Money, transparency and expectation

A project of this scale inevitably draws scrutiny. PWD officials have promised open tendering and quarterly progress updates. Environmental clearances are already filed. The state government calls it “a priority public asset,” meant to signal faith in institutions.

Economists note that such construction will generate thousands of jobs over five years - engineers, plumbers, clerks, drivers. For the city’s labour market, it’s welcome news in a sluggish year.

What happens to the old building

Officials say the heritage structure at Fort will not be abandoned. The plan is to restore it and use part of it for a legal museum and archives. The public may eventually tour the court that once shaped Mumbai’s identity.

Conservation architect Rohit Desai believes this could be a model for other cities. “Keep the history, move the function,” he said. “That’s how you let a city grow without losing its memory.”

The scene at Bandra East

Back on the plot, surveyors hammer stakes into the soil. A temporary stage is rising for the ceremony. Traffic cops check routes that will carry VIP convoys on Sunday. The ground is uneven but firm, and the air is thick with anticipation and heat.

One worker, resting on a pile of bricks, grins when asked about the project. “They say judges will come here,” he says in Hindi. “Then maybe this place will stay clean for once.” His comment draws laughter from the crew - a brief, earthy moment of humour amid the formality of governance.

What this move means

For the legal community, the relocation represents more than comfort. It signals a state willing to invest in its institutions. It also tells citizens that justice is not a distant heritage artifact but a living system that can adapt and expand.

The Bombay High Court will keep its heritage facade for posterity, but its work will move into light and air. In a city where space is always a struggle, that alone feels revolutionary.

Looking ahead

As the sun drops behind the Bandra-Kurla skyline, trucks bring in flowers and steel barricades. By Sunday morning, priests will chant verses, and officials will place the first brick. Some will see ritual; others will see history in motion.

Either way, it’s the start of a new story for the city’s oldest seat of law. From the echo of hammers in Bandra East to the quiet chambers in Fort, the sound carries a single message: change has finally arrived.

Closing Note

The United Indian believes every headline carries a heartbeat. We tell stories that go beyond statistics of citizens, communities, and the quiet power of progress across India.