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2008 Employees’ Housing Scheme: Chandigarh admn’s delay in approaching SC leaves employees in limbo
The Chandigarh administration had planned to challenge high court’s May 30 directive to construct the flats within a year and provide them at the 2008 rates, claiming it will lead to a ₹2,000-crore loss
Five months have passed since the Punjab and Haryana high court directed the Chandigarh administration to provide eligible employees flats under the 2008 Self-Financing Housing Scheme within a year.
However, the administration, which had soon after planned to challenge the court’s May 30 order, has yet to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court.
The administration had planned to contest the order, arguing that providing flats to employees at 2008 brochure rates will result in a financial loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore. But it has yet to act on it, leaving the long-harassed employees in a state of endless uncertainty.
Employees allege it is a tactic to further prolong the resolution, causing them unnecessary distress.
Speaking about the delayed, a senior UT officer stated, “We are in the final stages of preparing the appeal and will file it in a couple of days. Providing land at the 2008 collector rates is not feasible, as it would result in a financial loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore.”
The officer further said, Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), the nodal agency for the project, had already approached the Supreme Court. But their case had not been listed yet.
“Since the land belongs to the UT administration, we are the primary party responsible for covering the land cost. Therefore, we will also be filing an SLP,” he added.
Advocate Sunny Saggar explained that an SLP should be filed within 90 days. “If it is not filed within the stipulated period, the delay can be condoned if there is a bona fide reason. Otherwise, the petition cannot proceed,” he noted.
On the other hand, the employees union in July had already filed a caveat before the apex court.
A caveat is a caution or warning, giving notice to the court to not issue any grant or take a step without notice being given to the party lodging the caveat.
Biggest-ever employee housing scheme
CHB was to build around 4,000 flats in Sectors 52, 53 and 56 as part of the scheme, the biggest-ever for government employees.
The project comprised 252 3BHK flats with servant quarters, 168 2BHK flats with servant quarters, 3,066 1BHK flats and 444 single-room flats for Group D employees.
A draw of lots was held in 2010, in which 3,930 employees among 7,911 applicants were selected. They had then deposited around ₹57 crore with the CHB under the scheme.
However, the project ran into rough weather, as the administration could not make requisite land available for the purpose.
In October 2013, when employees realised that UT was dillydallying, they approached the high court, demanding that flats be allotted at the same rates asked for in 2008, within a time-bound manner.
Amid the 16-year delay, as many as 100 employees, who had opted for the scheme, have died.
As per records, in 2019, the Union ministry of home affairs had determined the cost of the 61.5 acres land for the scheme at around ₹2,200 crore, coming to ₹74,131 per square yard. However, according to the collector rate of 2008, the per square yard rate will be ₹7,920, equating to ₹237 crore for the 61.5 acres.
Thus, the revised cost of a three-bedroom flat will be around ₹50 lakh, a two-bedroom flat will cost around ₹40 lakh, a one-bedroom flat around ₹35 lakh and a single-room flat around ₹15 lakh.
Dharamender Shastri, general secretary of the UT Employees’ Housing Welfare Society, expressed frustration, saying, “This is nothing but harassment of employees who have been fighting for justice for two decades. We request the UT administrator to expedite the process. What is our fault? We have fought hard and believe in the judiciary. Over 100 employees have already passed away awaiting justice.”
