PGI suffers financial losses due to prolonged vacancy of staff houses since 2017

Time of India

5 hours ago

Chandigarh: An RTI response has revealed that 323 faculty and non-faculty houses under PGI have been lying vacant, some since as early as 2017. The vacant houses have led to an estimated financial loss of over Rs 20 crore over the past 5–6 years, with an annual loss of Rs 5.5 crore, according to calculations based on uncollected licence fee and 20% house rent allowance (HRA) paid to staff.
Vacant properties mean lost rental income or utility waste.
The disclosure, obtained by RTI applicant Ashwani Kumar Munjal, chairman of the Joint Action Committee, PGI on Aug 12, highlights administrative apathy and financial mismanagement. HRA, calculated on basic pay with increments and promotions over 10–25 years, adds significant costs for non-allotted staff. For instance, a junior doctor with a basic pay of Rs 56,100 (Level 10, 7th CPC) receives Rs 11,220 monthly HRA, totalling Rs 1.35 lakh annually per person.
"With Chandigarh's high real estate prices, this could be framed as taxpayer money down the drain," said Munjal.
The prolonged vacancies have forced PGI staff, including doctors and nurses, to pay exorbitant market rents in Chandigarh's pricey housing market, often living in far-flung areas. Extreme weather, traffic jams, and high fuel costs make timely reporting for duty challenging, especially during emergencies.
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"This isn't just about housing — it's about patient care," said a senior nurse. "We're stretched thin, and commuting from distant areas in rain or fog delays critical responses," she said.
The RTI documents point to delays in 'fitness reports' from the engineering department, requested as early as June 19, 2025, with reminders issued by July 7, 2025. These reports, critical for certifying houses as habitable, remain pending for many units, suggesting maintenance neglect or bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Some houses, vacant since 2017–2019, may require significant repairs, further inflating costs.
Out of 323 houses, some 200 are inside the campus. "This could have saved the parking burden in the institute which has been spending crores on multilevel parking and yet there is no space left," said a faculty member. The housing allotment committee has been taking months to allot the houses. "These vacant houses deteriorate with time and this also adds to the expenses to be made fit for living," said a faculty member.
Total Vacant Houses: Over 300 across both sectors (approx 220 in Sector 12, 80 in Sector 24, including Manimajra extensions). This includes various types like IV, III, I, Teacher Flats, F-Block, and higher categories (VI, IX, X). Some houses have been empty since 2011 in Sector-12, some are vacant for nearly 14 years. Many became vacant in 2024–2025. The average vacancy time is around 2–3 years for most. About 30% have been vacant for over five years.
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