Sealed defence properties in Pune trespassed by installing fences, CCTVs
he OGB illegal sale was under the scanner of the then Defence Estates Director, Southern Command, who was shifted out of his position to Eastern Kolkata after he brought to light irregularities related to transfer and illegal sale of old grand bungalows in Pune Cantonment Area
Some holders of occupancy rights (HOR) of Old Grant Bungalows (OGB), allegedly bought by private persons, have reportedly fenced the properties and gained access to their sealed vast plots. The OGB illegal sale was under the scanner of the then Defence Estates Director, Southern Command, who was shifted out of his position to Eastern Kolkata after he brought to light irregularities related to transfer and illegal sale of old grand bungalows in Pune Cantonment Area.
A visit to the OGB populated areas revealed barbed wire fencing, extension of old fences and erection of boundary poles with the aim of securing vacant bungalows and prime plots, allegedly overlooked by the offices of cantonment administration and Director General of Defence Estates (DGDE).
The official notice with seals along with signatures of DGDE officials fixed on many OBGs during the tenure of the then Defence Estates Director, Southern Command Saurav Ray, have been found torn in some properties. The HORs have been found to have placed surveillance cameras covering the defence properties. Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) chief executive officer Subrat Pal could not be reached for comments, while the Defence Estates Office did not respond to several phone calls requesting comment.
The drive against illegal and unauthorised sale of defence bungalows was initiated by the directorate under the direction of the Defence Estates Director Southern Command on a mission mode where Ray ordered crackdown against unauthorised sale of defence bungalow properties to builders, high networth individuals and influential personalities over the past decades and directed probe to reclaim defence properties lost to landsharks.
The Defence Estates Office (DEO) of Pune Circle in January 2024 had sealed an Old Grant Bungalow spread on 0.69 acres of prime defence land worth about ₹50 crore on Napier Road as the Holder of Occupancy Rights (HORs) did not take mandatory permission from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to mutate the property and sold it to real estate developers. The Pune Cantonment Board has 300 OGBs and its Khadki counterpart has 60 bungalow properties.
The DEO Office on January 12, 2024 sealed two bungalows — OGB number 15 spread over 2 acres on Staveley Road and Bungalow number 22 on Napier Road — in Pune Cantonment Area.
The Southern Command’s Defence Estates Department, in the last week of December 2023, ordered the Defence Estates Officer (DEO) Pune to take over the New Club (Poona) Ltd in the cantonment area due to non-payment of ₹17 crore and lease expiry. The DEO office had charged that the club was running a restaurant, liquor bar and a marriage and party lawn illegally. Though the army had objected to the renewal of the club lease, no action was being taken by the principal director, Southern Command and the club management was still collecting ₹2,50,000 from new members despite the lease expiry, the internal inquiry reported.
Cantonment-based social worker Rajabhau Chavan said, “The OGB’s are being illegally fenced, and additional construction is being carried out without any fear of law. There is no action taken against the illegalities taking place inside such prime defence properties. We demand an inquiry and strict action against violators related to the case.”