Politicians may be infamous for squatting on Government accommodations in Delhi, but it’s the Government employees — mostly retired — who beat the netas hands down when it comes to illegal occupation of official quarters. As many as 575 Government employees, from bureaucrats to beldars, continue to illegally occupy Government quarters.
The highest outstanding dues of Rs 95 lakh for such illegal occupation of Government quarters is in the name of a bureaucrat VP Rao.
Interestingly, even relatives of the babus have been found to be squatting on such premises. There are over 100 houses, where families or relatives of babus continued to occupy Government quarters even after the death of the original allottees. Some of these people have been over-staying for over two decade. The oldest being one who has ben squatting since 1998.
According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, a sum of Rs 30-40 crore is due on these illegal occupants as they have not paid rent so far. As far as 11 former MPs are concerned, many of them have vacated their bungalows except former MP Udit Raj. There are a number of babus who retired in 2000 and have not vacated their quarters. Of the 565 quarters, 244 are ‘type-II accommodations, while the rest are types VII, VI, V, IV and III categories.
As per the list, the family members of one Bale Ram, a beldar who died in 1998, have not vacated the Government quarter. They have also not paid any rent since 1998. The allotment of Bale Ram’s quarter was cancelled after his death in 1998.
SS Ramarao retired in 2000, but he has not vacated his type IV quarter so far. He has not paid rent since 2000 and his outstanding due is Rs 67 lakh. Commandant (retired) RK Swamy was allotted type IV quarter in Vikaspuri. He retired in May, 2001 but has not vacated his house so far. His outstanding rent is over Rs 74.38 lakh. Safai Karamchari Vijay Kumar retired in June 2003 but he has not vacated his quarter till date.
RK Sharma died in 2003. But his family is still staying at the Government quarter in RK Puram. They neither vacated the quarter nor paid any rent since 2003. The total due rent is over Rs 31 lakh. Pawan Kumar, a senior engineer, retired in 2003, but he has not vacated his type IV house in Munirka. The total amount of rent is due of Rs 67.44 lakh. PS Athmia retired in 2012 but is still occupying his accommodation illegally without paying rent.
SP Singh still occupied type V house in Vinay Marg and his rent amount rose to Rs 34 lakh.
Navneet Kumar Saxena’s case is unique. He took voluntary retirement in 2009 but has not vacated his quarter yet. The rent amount of Rs 57 lakh is pending on him. Indra Mohan Rawat, a havildar, retired in 2018, has also not vacated his quarter in Vasant Vihar.
Darneshwar Rai, a retired pump operator, has also not vacated his flat since September last year despite several reminders. In another case, the kin of Assistant Field Officer late RK Sharma have not vacated accommodations at RK Puram since 2005.
A total of 454 houses of type I, II and type III category, are occupied by class III and IV grade employees illegally without paying rent. As per the Ministry data, over two dozen cases are related to Kashmiri migrants.
The Delhi High Court has pulled up the Ministry for failing to vacate the illegally occupied Government accommodations in the city. “It appears that there is connivance from the officers of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Connivance over such a long time amounts to conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code. By their action, there is a huge loss to the Union of India, which is also an offence under the Indian Penal Code,” the court said.
The Court has directed the Ministry to submit a detailed report on action and recovery of dues from illegal occupants before February 27.
