130 govt houses illegally occupied by officials in Bhopal:Retired transferred officers refuse to vacate bungalows; state to recover 30 times rent

More than 130 government houses in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, are still occupied by officers and employees who have either been transferred or retired. Some have even turned their official houses into personal rest houses or guest accommodations. Despite repeated notices, they refuse to vacate. Meanwhile, over 1,000 employees are waiting for government housing. The state cabinet has now approved strict action — if a house is not vacated even nine months after retirement, the officer will be charged 30 times the rent and face eviction. Why the rules were changed Bhopal has around 12,000 government accommodations. However, many employees who genuinely need them wait for months or years for allotment.Under the existing rule, transferred employees must vacate within six months, and retired officers within three months. Earlier, if they delayed, the Directorate of Estates charged double rent. This penalty was too small, allowing influential officers to keep the houses easily. In a recent cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, it was decided to increase the penalty from double to 30 times the rent. Officials will now face eviction if they fail to comply. The new penalty system The Directorate of Estates has said the government has not yet issued a formal notification. Only after that will it be clear if the rule applies retrospectively or from the date of the notification. Bhaskar investigation reveals continued occupation After the cabinet’s decision, Dainik Bhaskar investigated several government houses where officers had not vacated despite notices. Many of these officers preach discipline in their offices but ignore rules in their personal cases. Case 1: IAS Nidhi Singh Nidhi Singh was transferred from Bhopal nearly 10 months ago. She was allotted an E-category bungalow in Char Imli, a posh area.Even after her transfer to Gwalior and later Indore, the bungalow was not vacated. When Bhaskar’s team reached the location, the house was locked. Two Bhopal Municipal Corporation employees were posted there as guards, and their salaries were still being paid by the Corporation. The bungalow is now used as a private guest house for Singh’s Bhopal visits. Two eviction notices have been pasted by the Estate Department, both washed away by rain. There has been no response from her. Case 2: Aditi Garg and husband Sagar Srivastava More than 15 months have passed since IAS officer Aditi Garg’s transfer from Bhopal. She was allotted a D-category bungalow in Char Imli, which should have been vacated in January 2025.When the Bhaskar team reached, a security guard, identifying himself as an Income Tax Department employee, said, “This is Aditi Madam and Sagar Srivastava Sir’s house.” Sagar Srivastava, an IRS officer and Garg’s husband, lives there. According to official records, Srivastava has already been allotted another house by the Income Tax Department but has not shifted. Notices pasted on the gate were later removed. Case 3: IAS Sudhir Kochhar IAS officer Sudhir Kochhar, known for his clean image in Damoh, has also not vacated his bungalow in Char Imli. He was transferred about 10 months ago and was required to vacate the D-category bungalow by April 2025.When the Bhaskar team visited, Kochhar’s wife said the bungalow had already been allotted to another officer and they would vacate “soon.” However, months have passed since. Notices continue to be issued by the Estate Department. Other officers still occupying houses How the eviction process works The Directorate of Estates follows a three-step process for eviction, but it is rarely enforced against senior officers. In practice, it is almost impossible for a Tehsildar to evict a senior IAS officer, revealing how influence weakens the system. What happens if officers don’t pay the fine Officials from the Directorate of Estates say an officer must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) after vacating a government house. The NOC is issued only when all dues, including rent and penalties, are cleared. Without the NOC: A senior official said, “Once the new penalty rule is enforced, every officer will have to pay. No one will risk losing their life’s earnings for this.” ​