Kerala has finalised the design for Judicial City in Kalamassery, a transformative project planned on 27 acres of HMT land.

The initiative, expected to span 10–15 years, will house a 28-lakh-sq. ft. High Court complex, judicial academy, and mediation centre. Although the land is under litigation, the state plans to resolve issues by depositing compensation in court if needed. The move stems from space constraints at the High Court’s existing Marine Drive site, where expansion is unviable due to eco-sensitive zone notifications and competing projects like the proposed ‘Exhibition City’.

In February last year, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and then Chief Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai approved the relocation. 

Metro connectivity and an underpass at HMT Junction are proposed to ease access. A four-member panel is expediting talks with HMT, while unions see the project as an opportunity to reclaim land for public benefit.