Ottapalam: After years of functioning in a dilapidated, leaky building, the Ottapalam Family Court is finally set to relocate. The court, currently operating out of a private building in Tottakkara, will soon move to a new three-storey facility on RS Road.

The existing courtroom and its office have been plagued by severe water leakage, to the extent that buckets and vessels have to be lined up on the floor to collect the water dripping from the roof. Preserving case documents has become increasingly difficult due to the constant dampness. During rains, the soaked walls pose a serious risk of electrocution, prompting authorities to warn court users against touching them.

The condition of the restrooms is even worse. This is the grim state of a court that sees hundreds of people every day as staff, lawyers, clerks and litigants alike have been struggling in these poor conditions.

The family court was established in 2013 at the Ottapalam Taluk headquarters and has been operating from the same building ever since. Years of neglect and lack of maintenance have left the structure in a pitiable and unfit state.

Work is already underway at the new RS Road building to set up basic infrastructure, with plans to complete the shift within a week.