Officials refuse to vacate NDMC homes, council flags misuse of housing policy

One ex-officio council member, the minutes revealed, has been unable to take charge of their allotted residence even months after the council’s reconstitution in November 2024 due to the non-availability of flats.

Several senior officials who are no longer serving with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) continue to occupy government bungalows in Lutyens’ Delhi, sparking fresh concern over the alleged misuse of the civic body’s housing policy. The matter was taken up in the most recent council meeting, where members sought urgent revisions in the allotment process to prevent exploitation of the “interpool” provisions.

NDMC manages around 3,000 residential units, including bungalows and flats ranging from Type 1 to Type 5. (HT Archive)

According to officials familiar with the discussions, at least ten high-value bungalows in central Delhi remain in possession of bureaucrats who have either been transferred or retired — in clear violation of norms. One ex-officio council member, the minutes revealed, has been unable to take charge of their allotted residence even months after the council’s reconstitution in November 2024 due to the non-availability of flats.

“The council expressed the need to facilitate possession for members still awaiting accommodation, despite formal allotments. It was recommended that further allotments of Type 5 quarters be kept in abeyance until existing members are housed,” the minutes state.

“The council also desired that the estate department should prepare and submit a list of all vacant properties and all pending court cases for the council’s information,” the minutes further said.

NDMC manages around 3,000 residential units, including bungalows and flats ranging from Type 1 to Type 5, in premium locations such as Satya Sadan, Willingdon Crescent, Moti Bagh, and Vinay Marg. Despite clear rules, enforcement remains a challenge.

Vice chairman Kuljeet Chahal, who flagged the matter during the NDMC meeting, confirmed that the council has directed officials to identify such properties and recommend changes in the housing policy. “One of our members has not been able to get a Type V flat as all of them are currently occupied. The inter-pool system needs to be looked at. The council has sought a revised policy on housing,” he said.

A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said several senior IAS officers posted on deputation to the NDMC continue to occupy these bungalows long after being transferred to other departments — or even after retirement. “At the heart of the problem is the inter-pooling provision, which allows officers to swap centrally allotted accommodation elsewhere in the city with NDMC properties in Lutyens’ Delhi. But a bungalow on Madhu Limaye Marg cannot be equated with one in Motia Khan. Yet officers cling to Lutyens’ properties well past their tenure with the civic body,” the official said.

An NDMC member said, “Officers on deputation are often allotted NDMC flats but don’t vacate them after leaving. In return, NDMC gets unsuitable or unavailable flats outside its jurisdiction under the inter-pooling policy. This violates Central government housing guidelines. Comprehensive changes are needed, especially as beneficiaries include senior officials, former secretaries, and chairpersons.”

This is not the first time the issue has cropped up. In 2023, former vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay had to move the court after failing to get possession of his allotted house. The civic body was ultimately forced to initiate legal proceedings to reclaim a Chanakyapuri bungalow held by its former chairperson Parimal Rai.

The latest round of complaints underscores a persistent culture of entitlement and resistance to vacating high-profile government accommodation, despite clear protocols and rising demand.

The NDMC did not respond to HT’s request for a comment on the matter.