Dilli Ka Babu; Homing officials

Housing is a perennial problem in Mumbai, even for government officials. Under the state’s revised rules, those babus who already own homes in Maharashtra under the government quota cannot acquire another sarkari home.

 

In Mumbai’s upscale Maitri Cooperative Housing Society, the new rule will disqualify nearly a fourth of the 84 members. While it’s bad news for these members, it does open an opportunity for other officers to queue up for preferential allotment.

 

Sources say the new aspirants for these flats include additional chief secretary in home department Amitabh Rajan, police joint commissioner Dhananjay Kamalakar, additional police commissioner Rajvardhan Sinha and secretary to the chief minister Vikas Kharge, among others.

 

Not surprisingly, the state housing board has the discretion to allot land and homes for public housing, which is what raises the hope that these babus may just get lucky. No such luck for the ordinary Mumbaikar, however, who is more than happy to have any roof over his head!