Pune Cantonment's Old Grant Bungalows Face Sub-Tenancy Violations Amid Military Land Concerns
In Pune, a renewed focus has emerged on alleged violations of rules prohibiting sub-tenancy in Old Grant Bungalows (OGBs) within the cantonment areas. This comes after a recent attempt by a private party to evict a retired Army colonel from one such property, highlighting a broader issue that reportedly affects dozens of similar cases across Pune and Khadki camps.
Colonial-Era Regulations and Sub-Letting Prohibitions
Old Grant Bungalows are governed by colonial-era regulations that strictly prohibit sub-letting. The land remains under the ownership of the Union government, with occupants having only limited rights of residence. Despite these clear rules, numerous bungalows in Pune and Khadki cantonments have had sub-tenants residing for decades, often without proper authorization.
Sources in the defence estates department revealed that in the aforementioned case, the retired colonel has lived as a sub-tenant since 1991, underscoring the long-standing nature of these violations.
Official Oversight and Lack of Response
C Ravindra, the Principal Director of Defence Estates for the Southern Command, supervises all defence estates offices, including the Pune division. However, he did not respond to phone calls or text messages at the time of reporting, raising questions about the department's engagement with the issue.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior official told TOI: "Rules prohibit sub-tenancy in OGBs. Yet, many holders of occupancy rights take in tenants. Some original holders are not even alive, leading to sub-tenants taking over properties under the guise of caretakers, which is also not permitted."
The official added that local Defence Estates Offices should ideally initiate the reclaiming of such properties to support future military expansion plans.
Scale of the Problem and Lack of Surveys
Officials noted that Pune cantonment has approximately 290 such properties, while Khadki has 60 within their limits. Several DEO officials expressed regret that the department has not conducted surveys of these properties over the decades, allowing sub-tenants to live there freely.
Many of these properties have even been turned to commercial use, with local DEO officials accused of ignoring their responsibilities in enforcing regulations.
Defence Experts and Military Needs
A retired senior official from the Directorate General, Defence Estates, emphasized: "OGB areas and defence land should be reserved exclusively for military purposes, such as training facilities and special offices. Vested interests are eyeing these prime lands due to their lucrative urban locations in cities like Pune."
Defence experts pointed out that land is a scarce resource, and the Indian Armed Forces may require it in the future for specialized purposes, including:
- Construction of bunkers and cyber command centers
- Nuclear and biological protected special offices
- Storage of specialized goods
- Various defence training purposes
A senior Army officer, speaking anonymously, warned: "When the need arises, there will be no space left in the cantonments for the Army, which requires land to set up new offices, training centers, and facilities to adapt to the changing role of the armed forces."
Past Actions and Current Inaction
In 2023, Saurav Ray, the then director of the Principal Directorate, Defence Estates (Southern Command), took action against various violators, seizing four OGBs and highlighting the issue in a letter to the then Inspector General of Registration of Maharashtra. Despite this, the situation on the ground has reportedly remained unchanged.
Activist Rajabhau Chavan from the Pune Camp area stated: "The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has specifically highlighted several lacunae in its special report on managing old grant sites in cantonments under the Southern Command. Yet, the properties continue to be misused and exploited by private players in Pune and Khadki, which is unacceptable. They must be saved for future military expansion."
This ongoing issue underscores the tension between historical property use and modern military needs, with calls for stricter enforcement to protect defence lands for national security purposes.
