Dhobi Talao Lawyers Demand Structural Audit of Crumbling Small Causes Court
The Advocates’ Association of the Small Causes Court has raised serious safety concerns over the deteriorating condition of the 46-year-old Court of Small Causes building at Dhobi Talao in South Mumbai. Describing the complex as a "hazard zone," the association has demanded an independent structural audit, pointing out that persistent defects remain unresolved despite approximately ₹20 crore being spent on repairs.
The safety issues came to a head after a portion of the false ceiling collapsed on September 18, 2025, in a washroom attached to the Ladies Bar Room in the court's new building. While no injuries were reported, the incident prompted the association to write to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, the court's Guardian Judges, the Principal Judge of the Court of Small Causes, the Public Works Department (PWD) Chief Engineer, and the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.
In a representation submitted in November 2025, the association highlighted extensive cracks in pillars and beams across courtrooms, advocates' bar rooms, and common areas. The lawyers also reported recurring water seepage through walls and structural members, alongside repeated instances of plaster falling from ceilings and passages.
Although the PWD subsequently carried out repair work in the washroom where the ceiling collapsed, advocates alleged the work was largely cosmetic. Sachin Gelye, president of the Advocates’ Association of the Small Causes Court, stated that cracks have already begun reopening through freshly painted surfaces. Haridas Santosh, the association's vice-president, emphasized that the primary demand is a proper structural audit by competent experts, rather than superficial paintwork.
According to the association, the PWD sanctioned ₹20 crore in 2017 for major repairs to the court's new building. Nearly a decade later, the work remains incomplete. The association pointed out that while the Mazgaon Court building was demolished and reconstructed within three years, the Small Causes Court building has remained under repair and renovation for more than two decades.
In a fresh representation submitted on June 18, the association informed the Bombay High Court that many of the safety grievances raised in previous submissions, including one in April 2026, remain unresolved. The lawyers are demanding the immediate identification and closure of unsafe portions of the premises and action to fix accountability on the officials and contractors responsible for the prolonged repairs.
