Retired defence officers now battle in court for homes:
Article Published by Vineet Upadhyay, TNN | Feb 6, 2015, 10.22PM IST on Times of India Website
Nainital: Air Marshal TS Randhawa defended Indian skies for 38 years, before retiring from the Air Force. These days, the 62 year old feels defenceless, cheated. He is not alone over 80 defence personnel, most of them retired, paid up for dream houses in the lake city of Bheemtal in 2006. The project had been advertised by a Noida basedprivate builder. The retired army officers thought they could move to the hills, and planned an idyllic life far from the madding crowd. Only, far from shifting into their dream homes, many of them are now entangled in a madding mess of litigation.
Members who had signed up for the society advertised as being exclusively for retired defence services personnel filed a petition in the Uttarakhand high court in November last year, finding that the building plans they had been earlier informed about had changed drastically. The quality of construction too was not a patch on what they were promised, they said. The next hearing of the matter is scheduled for February 25."These people promised us fully furnished homes by the end of 2008. None of their promises have been kept. We had to pay up an extra sum in 201011, but to no avail," said Air Marshal Randhawa, who is also the governor of the Raksha Retreat Owners Welfare Society.
All, 116 families of defence personnel invested in the housing scheme. About 87 families have moved into houses allotted to them. The rest still wait.
Major General MS Bedi is 63 years old. He had hoped for a serene retired life with his wife in the hills. His wife, meanwhile, has died. "What is the use of getting the house now? It's useless. I wonder that we should get such a raw deal after spending our lives in the service of the nation," he says.
The officers had hoped for well appointed homes, but what they got instead were houses with leaky roofs, shoddily painted walls and substandard flooring, they say.
The project was launched in 2006 by the Noida based Samiah International Builders Private Limited. Nainital based firm Shikhar Construction was responsible for 'construction management', according to the brochure.
A case in the matter was registered last December against Harish Joshi, director of Shikhar Construction. The officers alleged that they had been threatened for resisting the illegal construction that was carried out in the compound of the society they had signed up for.
Major General MS Bedi is 63 years old. He had hoped for a serene retired life with his wife in the hills. His wife, meanwhile, has died. "What is the use of getting the house now? It's useless. I wonder that we should get such a raw deal after spending our lives in the service of the nation," he says.
The officers had hoped for well appointed homes, but what they got instead were houses with leaky roofs, shoddily painted walls and substandard flooring, they say.
The project was launched in 2006 by the Noida based Samiah International Builders Private Limited. Nainital based firm Shikhar Construction was responsible for 'construction management', according to the brochure.
A case in the matter was registered last December against Harish Joshi, director of Shikhar Construction. The officers alleged that they had been threatened for resisting the illegal construction that was carried out in the compound of the society they had signed up for.
Manoj Joshi, one of the directors of Shikhar Construction, and brother of Harish Joshi, told TOI:
"We had done all we could to keep our promises, but they are still not satisfied. The layout was approved and amended by the Lake Development Authority. Now, all I have to say is that the honourable court should be allowed to judge who is right and who wrong."
The first people to move into these homes started living there in 2010. Many of them found, to their disappointment, that the houses did not meet the standards they were promised.
"We were told the houses would have fine finish, flat roofs with waterproof covering, parking space, clubs and canteens," said Captain Ravee (45), among the first to move in, who serves as the president of the society, as he reels out a long list of unfulfilled promises.
The army officers have alleged that the layout plan earlier approved by the Lake Development Authority had been changed arbitrarily, without informing them. Shikhar Constructions had started building a multi storey complex in area meant for their society, the officers said, taking up what was earlier earmarked as parking space, in blatant violation of the agreement.
The project had been approved by LDA in 2007; it was amended in 2013, without informing the members who had invested in it.
LDA authorities refused to comment: "The case is in court. I cannot comment," said Shirish Kumar, secretary, LDA.
Members of the society have written to local administration and police; they have also sent letters to the commissioner, Kumaon division, governor of the state, director general of police, chief minister and BJP leader BC Khanduri.
"The fate of about 85 veteran officers and ladies is in limbo. Many of us have made this investment at the fagend of our lives, in the hope of a quiet retirement. What would happen to ordinary civilians, when such senior officers of the armed forces are harassed thus?" asked Air Marshal Randhawa.
"We had done all we could to keep our promises, but they are still not satisfied. The layout was approved and amended by the Lake Development Authority. Now, all I have to say is that the honourable court should be allowed to judge who is right and who wrong."
The first people to move into these homes started living there in 2010. Many of them found, to their disappointment, that the houses did not meet the standards they were promised.
"We were told the houses would have fine finish, flat roofs with waterproof covering, parking space, clubs and canteens," said Captain Ravee (45), among the first to move in, who serves as the president of the society, as he reels out a long list of unfulfilled promises.
The army officers have alleged that the layout plan earlier approved by the Lake Development Authority had been changed arbitrarily, without informing them. Shikhar Constructions had started building a multi storey complex in area meant for their society, the officers said, taking up what was earlier earmarked as parking space, in blatant violation of the agreement.
The project had been approved by LDA in 2007; it was amended in 2013, without informing the members who had invested in it.
LDA authorities refused to comment: "The case is in court. I cannot comment," said Shirish Kumar, secretary, LDA.
Members of the society have written to local administration and police; they have also sent letters to the commissioner, Kumaon division, governor of the state, director general of police, chief minister and BJP leader BC Khanduri.
"The fate of about 85 veteran officers and ladies is in limbo. Many of us have made this investment at the fagend of our lives, in the hope of a quiet retirement. What would happen to ordinary civilians, when such senior officers of the armed forces are harassed thus?" asked Air Marshal Randhawa.
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/Retireddefenceofficersnowbattleincourtforhomes/
articleshow/46148737.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/Retireddefenceofficersnowbattleincourtforhomes/
articleshow/46148737.cms
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