New Delhi, May 22 (IANS): Justice J.S. Khehar of the Supreme Court on Friday inaugurated a mediation centre at the Patiala House district courts here.

Justice Khehar, in his inaugural address, highlighted the benefits of mediation and the success it has achieved in India in reducing the huge pendency of cases.

He expressed the hope that the new facility will go a long way in catering to the needs of lawyers and litigants.

Justice Khehar, who is also chairman of the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee, inaugurated the centre in the presence of the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice G. Rohini and other judges.

According to a court official, out of the six court complexes in the national capital, Patiala House was the only complex where there was no mediation centre and the cases used to be referred from the court to the Saket and Tis Hazari courts mediation centres for resolution.

The centre has six rooms for mediators, one conference hall, one room for staff and one lounge for the public.