India, Jan. 4 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court in Chandigarh, which serves the states of Punjab and Haryana along with Chandigarh, has once again found itself contemplating its own limits. Last week, the court issued fresh timelines to advance the long pending expansion of its campus, responding to chronic space shortages and a steadily rising caseload. For millions of litigants across northern India, the concern is practical rather than poetic: access, efficiency and the pace at which justice moves. In Chandigarh, however, space is rarely just a logistical problem. The proposed expansion sits at the intersection of constitutional responsibility, heritage preservation and administrative decision making. It requires UNESCO approvals, expert committee endorsements and judicial supervision. Where and how should the high court grow and can contemporary demands be met without disturbing an architectural idea that was never meant to be altered lightly? The demand for expansion is neither new nor cosmetic. Judges and lawyers have long pointed to an infrastructure stretched beyond its intended capacity. Courtrooms are overbooked and circulation spaces increasingly resemble holding areas, even as judicial strength and case pendency continue to rise. In early December, a bench led by chief justice Sheel Nagu directed the UT administration to appoint a consultant by January 8 to prepare expansion plans covering approximately eleven lakh square feet, including additional courtrooms and parking. To cut through procedural delays, the court invoked emergency procurement norms, permitting consultant selection outside standard tender processes. The bench noted that the idea of expansion has been under discussion for nearly a decade, stalled largely by heritage compliance concerns. A judges' panel has since recommended four new blocks behind the existing structure, adding thirty to thirty five courtrooms. Until these plans take shape, the court continues to function much like the city itself sometimes does. Complicating matters further is the high court's location within the Capitol Complex, a UNESCO world heritage site. Any new construction must satisfy not only local authorities, but also international heritage standards - a reminder that Chandigarh's buildings answer to audiences far beyond its borders. Earlier this year, the Chandigarh administration submitted a revised and scaled down proposal to UNESCO in Geneva, attempting to balance functional expansion with conservation discipline. Urban commentators argue that the challenge lies not merely in controlling scale, but in ensuring design sensitivity. Modern requirements such as accessibility, security and technology must be integrated without interrupting the spatial logic of the original complex. These debates extend beyond architecture. They reflect Chandigarh's discomfort with change, a city planned as a complete idea now negotiating the realities of growth. The expansion has also exposed friction between judicial urgency and administrative response. In earlier hearings, the additional solicitor general criticised the Chandigarh administration's handling of proposals, describing it as slipshod and marked by delays. Alternative sites, including land near the IT Park, have been explored, though concerns about access and congestion have limited enthusiasm for relocation. For now, the court's insistence on timelines suggests a shift from prolonged indecision to cautious movement. Handled carefully, the high court's expansion could offer a model for how heritage cities adapt. Handled poorly, it risks becoming another case of deferred decisions and diluted intent. For litigants, the expectation remains simple: A court that functions efficiently and with dignity. For Chandigarh, the stakes are more symbolic. It is a test of whether a city built on strong ideas can evolve without losing sight of them. Success will be measured not by how much space is added, but by how thoughtfully it is done....