The Rajasthan High Court on Monday initiated suo moto proceedings about the structural condition of its Jodhpur building, which was inaugurated in December 2019, reported Bar and Bench.

The action came after an assessment by the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay found that the 21-metre-high central dome of the building was at risk “of imminent collapse and may fall at any moment”.

The building was constructed at a cost of Rs 316 crore, reported The Times of India. Its foundation stone was laid on April 20, 2007, the construction began in 2011 and the structural work was completed by the end of 2013.

However, structural problems had emerged “within a span of few years”, said a division bench of Justices Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Praveer Bhatnagar on Monday.

Pointing out that the dome posed a serious threat to those working in the court, the bench said that it was “gravely concerned”.

It noted that a portion of the dome had collapsed in April 2023 and further incidents of false ceiling and plaster falling in courtrooms were reported in 2024 and 2025.

There were also problems with water seepage and in the drainage system, the reinforcement steel had corroded, and there were cracks in structural elements, the bench pointed out. It added that the fire-safety arrangements were also inadequate.

IIT report on building

In 2023, an IIT Jodhpur expert committee had found that the steel reinforcement of the building had corroded severely, the concrete had deteriorated and there were deficiencies in waterproofing, reported Bar and Bench.

The panel had recommended that the structure should be audited by a third-party.

A subsequent audit estimated the cost of structural repairs and retrofitting at about Rs 57.6 crore.

The latest assessment by IIT Bombay found active reinforcement corrosion, carbonation and chloride contamination in parts of the building. It also found that around 40% of the inspected areas were vulnerable to concrete chipping of the surface, according to the court record.

As an immediate safety measure, the dome has been cordoned off and movement beneath it restricted, Bar and Bench reported.

On Monday, the court ordered 24-hour monitoring of the dome and other critical structural components by engineers.

It also directed the authorities to prepare a safety and evacuation plan within 48 hours, conduct mock drills within 72 hours and establish a 24-hour control room on the premises.

The Rajasthan government and other agencies have been directed to file detailed affidavits by August 24 about the building’s condition and a time-bound plan for strengthening, rebuilding or replacing the dome.

Edited by Sneha.

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