Annually the state administration collects INR 11 lakh (approx) as rent from police personnel occupying the quarters at Headland Sada. But it is ironic that not a single rupee has been spent by the administration to carry out extensive repair work for all eight buildings occupied by the families of police personnel.
Surprisingly PWD officials have no idea as to when the building was last taken up for extensive repairs (internal and external). “I will have to check the records but I think we did some repairs in a few flats individually. But repairs for all eight buildings is awaited,” said PWD Assistant Engineer, A D Nagarchi.
According to an investigation, the state administration constructed ‘A’ type and ‘B’ type quarters to provide family accommodation facilities to the staff. While ‘B’ type quarters were allotted to the police, ‘A’ type were allotted to other government employees. The ‘A’ type quarters had to however, be vacated after it was declared dangerous and unsafe by the PWD department. The ‘B’ type quarters that were constructed along with ‘A’ type though, were kept in use.
“The ‘A’ type quarters had to be vacated because the building had become weak. However, the ‘B’ type quarters which was used by the families of the police department was repaired and the same is still in used despite the fact that the condition is not proper,” confessed Nagarchi.
Today, over 150 people including women and children are occupying 64 single bedroom flats built in eight different buildings and not a single flat in any of these buildings is in good condition. “We have given our buildings names that suit the present condition. People from the B building are known as occupants of sewage block. Similarly, people occupying the C building are known as jungle block. These names are given appropriately as the former building has issues with sewage while the latter has wild weeds growing all over it. Structural issues are common for all buildings,” said a housewife of one police personnel anonymously.
Senior police officials told Herald that they sent a proposal to the government seeking renovation of the eight buildings but were yet to receive a response. “Constables and their families live in constant fear of their houses collapsing. They cannot even move into rented accommodation as they cannot afford it. Out of 64 flats, 50 flats are in such condition. Leaking during the rains is inevitable. The remaining flats too are in poor shape and have developed cracks in the walls. The doors have also been eaten up by termites,” said a police personnel who wished not to be named.
In terms of ventilation, the broken windows are providing very good ventilation and the tiles on the floor and roof are crumbling while the windows-panes can fall off at any time but there is still no sign of maintenance.
These same policemen are working day and night to ensure that citizens are living safe, but their own family members are not living in safe conditions. The problems here are many but the solution seems to be only one. The local MLA and minister suggested that the building needs to be demolished but whether the government would build a new building on priority or the same would be left pending like other government projects is the million dollar question that needs answering. Meanwhile, the forthcoming monsoon season is another challenge that the residents have to face as water seeps into the flats.
