Over 1,100 residential quarters allotted under the Retention Scheme are currently under unauthorised occupation, hindering fresh allotment process in Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) Township. The BSP management is set to finalise an action plan to address this issue. Officers’ Association and trade unions have expressed support for the management’s efforts to facilitate fresh allotments for newly- recruited executives and non-executives. According to sources, the Allotment Section of the Town Services Department (TSD) of BSP faces a shortage of residential quarters for fresh allotment. Many former executives and non-executives allotted quarters under the Retention Scheme have been unwilling to vacate them despite receiving notices.

 

The Estate Court of BSP has declared these occupants unauthorised, but enforcement measures to evict them have reportedly been inadequate. Adding to the problem, some quarters are also under unauthorised third-party occupation. Of the 1,231 quarters under the Retention Scheme, more than 1,100 have been deemed unauthorized by the Estate Court. This includes 60 quarters occupied by former executives and 1,103 by former non-executives. Despite legal decrees, the Enforcement Cell of BSP has been unable to effectively vacate these quarters. The shortage is further worsened by the allocation of quarters to various pools, including police and administrative personnel, and by a significant number of residential units being declared unfit for occupation. Consequently, many BSP executives and non-executives are unable to secure quarters matching their grades and seniority. N.K. Banchhor, Chairman of SEFI and President of the Officers’ Association, BSP, emphasized the need for prioritizing the eviction of unauthorized third-party occupants.

 

He suggested relocating retired BSP pioneers occupying higher-grade quarters under the Retention Scheme to lower-grade accommodations, thereby freeing up quarters for new recruits. He also stressed that individuals with alternative housing arrangements should vacate company quarters immediately. Chinna Keshavlu, Working President of the Bhilai Ispat Mazdoor Sabha (affiliated with BMS), pointed out that the Retention Scheme was designed to provide temporary housing for employees post-retirement. He urged prompt action by the concerned department to vacate these quarters and ensure proper allotment based on grade and seniority. Pramod Mishra, General Secretary of Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Bhilai, called for strict measures against occupants using these facilities without paying electricity charges and other dues. Officials from the Public Relations Department of BSP acknowledged the scale of unauthorized occupation and stated that the management is working to finalize an action plan in coordination with the police and administrative authorities to address the issue.