Underground Passage at Shivajinagar Court Closed for Four Years; Pune Bar Association Demands Reopening
Shivajinagar, 24th June 2025: The Pune Bar Association has called for the immediate reopening of the underground passage connecting the District and Sessions Court with the Family Court in Shivajinagar, which has remained closed for over four years. The association submitted a formal memorandum to Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, seeking urgent intervention.
The delegation was led by Adv. Hemant Zanjad, President of the Pune Bar Association, accompanied by Adv. Prithviraj Thorat, Secretary, and Adv. Nilesh Nikam, former Standing Committee Chairman of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). In response, Commissioner Ram assured the group that steps would be taken soon to resolve the issue.
The underground corridor was first proposed in the 2010–11 PMC budget, with ₹1.5 crore sanctioned for its construction under the leadership of then Standing Committee Chairman Adv. Nilesh Nikam. The passage, aimed at facilitating easy movement between the two court buildings, was inaugurated in 2018 and widely used by lawyers and litigants.
However, the passage was shut down in 2021 due to ongoing Pune Metro construction. Since then, court visitors have been forced to take a longer, inconvenient route via Gate No. 4 of the Shivajinagar court complex to access the Family Court.
“This prolonged closure has caused significant hardship to legal professionals and the general public alike. Reopening the passage is essential for convenience and efficiency,” said Adv. Hemant Zanjad.
The Bar Association emphasized that the passage not only improved accessibility and time efficiency but also reduced congestion within the court premises. With Metro construction in the vicinity now nearing completion, lawyers are pressing for the passage to be reopened at the earliest.
Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram acknowledged the concern and assured the delegation that the municipal administration would look into the matter promptly.
