Noida authority orders six transferred officials to vacate official residence
The decision was made after CEO Lokesh M learned that new officials in the city are unable to obtain a government residence in Sector 14A
Bureaucrats who have been transferred out of Noida are failing to vacate official bungalows, causing a crisis in which new district officials cannot obtain a government residence. As a result, the Noida authority announced on Thursday that it had issued notices to six bureaucrats who had yet to vacate their government residences despite being relocated to other cities a long time ago.
The decision was made after the authority chief executive officer (CEO), Lokesh M, learned that new officials who have recently arrived in the city are unable to obtain a government residence in Sector 14A, which houses the majority of senior officials, including Indian administrative services (IAS) officers and Indian police service (IPS) officers.
Lokesh M, a 2005 batch IAS officer, was appointed CEO of the Noida authority on July 19 after Ritu Maheshwari was transferred to Agra. Even Lokesh M had to wait for his official bungalow in Sector 14A because the previous CEO took time to vacate the residence.
“The authority had served them with notices to vacate the residences, and the period ends on Friday. If these officials do not vacate, we will post notices outside their houses and take stern action under the rules,” said Lokesh M.
Among the officials who have not yet vacated their official homes is a woman retired officer who worked for the Noida authority from 2015 to 2018. Another official is a woman IAS officer who worked for the Noida authority from 2016 to 2017. An IAS officer assigned to the Noida authority between 2014 and 2016 has also not left the official residence. Another officer who worked for the authority from 2017 to 2020 has also not vacated. Among them are also two IPS officers who were transferred in January 2023, and have not yet vacated their official residence.
Besides these six, there are other officers living in sector 27 and 104, among other areas where government residences are located, who still need to vacate their official residence. The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the authority to launch a crackdown on such illegal occupants.
According to officials aware of the matter, such officers do not vacate these residences because they have to pay less rent than if they privately rent property in Noida, which is located next to Delhi.
“An officer must vacate their residence two months after being transferred from the district. If they wish to stay longer, they must obtain permission from the chief executive officer of the Noida authority. If an officer is living in a government residence in violation of the rules, then we label them an illegal occupant and prepare to take harsh measures against all. We continue to issue notices to illegal occupants, requesting that they leave or face legal action,” said a second Noida authority official, who asked not to be named.
