Latest news with #AWHO
The Hindu
07-08-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Chander Kunj residents demand a year's rent in advance to vacate
I Families set to be evicted from their apartments in the unstable Chander Kunj Army twin towers by the end of this month are determined to fall in line only if the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) credits rent for a year to their bank accounts before that. This was after the AWHO objected to paying rent to all 208 affected families and came up with a list of 43 owners as eligible for rent at a meeting of the district committee — constituted with the District Collector as convener to oversee the demolition and reconstruction of the twin towers — held on Wednesday (August 6). 'We have no idea how they reached that number. Anyhow, we are in the process of collecting self-certified sworn affidavits from all owners in compliance with the court verdict and the Collector's committee. We will then collate them and give them to the Collector, complete with bank account details, in another five days. That owners will not vacate unless a year's rent is credited to their accounts remains non-negotiable,' said Saji Thomas, president of the Chander Kunj Army Towers Apartment Owners Association (CATAOA), which is a constituent of the Collector's committee. District Collector N.S.K. Umesh also insisted that AWHO should pay apartment owners a displacement charge of ₹30,000 as agreed. It was also decided that the Thripunithura municipal secretary would issue the evacuation notices to the owners. The meeting also initiated discussion on the pre-qualification conditions for the appointment of a Project Management Consultant (PMC) ahead of triggering tender formalities. CATAOA's demand that a firm of international repute be appointed as PMC has been approved in principle. AWHO will also have to take necessary measures for securing various approvals, including those under the Coastal Zone Regulation norms. Incidentally, this was the last meeting to be chaired by Mr. Umesh, who has been transferred as Director of General Education in the latest reshuffle of top bureaucrats. He will be replaced by G. Priyanka, the present Palakkad Collector. The outgoing Collector, though, has promised to fully update his replacement on the district committee so that its functioning is not affected in any way. CATAOA felicitated Mr. Umesh ahead of his imminent transfer. During its previous meetings, the district committee had set November 9, 2025, as the tentative date for the demolition of the twin towers of the Chander Kunj Army Towers in Vyttila, and October 31, 2029, for handing over the newly built apartments.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Crime branch likely to take over probe into Chander Kunj Army Towers construction irregularities
Kochi: A criminal investigation into the alleged irregularities in the construction of Chander Kunj Army Towers at Silver Sand Island in Vyttila is likely to be taken over by crime branch (CB) soon. The move comes even as high court on June 16 declined to order a CBI investigation into the alleged corruption behind the dilapidated condition of towers B and C. According to a report filed by Maradu station house officer (SHO) on July 15 before district judicial first class magistrate court-VIII, the case was of a serious nature and there was a need for a special unit of the police to investigate it. The case diary was submitted to the higher-ups so that the probe can be transferred to the crime branch. Further procedures were in process regarding the same, the report said. The report was filed in response to a private complaint by Colonel (retd) Ciby George, a resident of the army towers. The report stated that, as per initial investigation, the building was constructed in an area marked as 'nilam' with Tripunithura village office and that the building was constructed without following the norms. It further stated that high court, after examining reports from IIT-Madras, IISc Bangalore, vigilance officer, LSGD and PWD engineer, found that Tower-B and Tower-C were not habitable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The report also added that, prima facie, the building was constructed without obtaining necessary certificates, its plan underwent unauthorised alterations and construction was done without quality materials. It further added that the building started showing structural faults within a year of construction. The Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) collected Rs 130 crore from 208 families living in the towers involved in the case and that an investigation needs to be done to find how AWHO spent this amount, report stated. The report also adds that three cases were under probe regarding the allegations referred to in the private complaint. The court, however, ordered the registration of an additional FIR as per the private complaint. George earlier approached HC seeking a CBI investigation, which the court declined. He is planning to move the court with an appeal.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Chander Kunj Army Towers demolition: Kerala high court enhances rent payable to occupants by Rs 9,000 & Rs 12,000
Kochi: High court on Wednesday ordered strict adherence to the timeline set by the Ernakulam district collector for the evacuation, demolition and reconstruction of the dilapidated Towers B and C of the Chander Kunj Army Towers at Silver Sand Island, Vyttila. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Justice C P Mohammed Nias issued the order while disposing of a batch of review petitions filed by residents seeking clarity on an earlier single bench order directing the demolition and reconstruction of the towers, originally constructed in July 2018. Previously, the collector had submitted an affidavit outlining the proposed demolition and reconstruction plan. It said the project is expected to be completed by Oct 31, 2029, at an estimated cost of Rs 211.49 crore. The plan envisages the evacuation of residents within the next two months, with a tentative demolition date fixed for Nov 9, 2025. HC enhanced the rent payable by the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) to Rs 30,000 and Rs 35,000 per month for each dwelling unit in Towers B and C, respectively, up from Rs 21,000 and Rs 23,000, taking into account findings from local inspections which revealed that rents for similar accommodations were higher. The enhancement was also based on the designation and standard of living of the allottees. The court further clarified that AWHO must pay the stipulated rent to owners residing in Towers B and C as of March 29, 2024. However, this condition should not be construed to exclude those who were temporarily not in occupation on that date. It only excludes those who had not commenced residence or had rented out their flats. The apprehensions raised by review petitioners regarding the cost of demolition and reconstruction were rejected. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now HC reaffirmed that AWHO is liable for the entire cost. Noting that 82 out of 264 allottees have opted for the buy-back scheme, HC directed the committee constituted by district collector to reassess the scale of construction based on the number of allottees opting for reconstruction and to determine the amount to be offered under the buy-back scheme. This exercise is to be completed by the time demolition concludes or within six months. Further, HC clarified that the committee shall not be bound by the earlier direction to construct towers of the same size and facilities. The AWHO is permitted to add additional floors.
Indian Express
02-06-2025
- Indian Express
Delhi: 18 years on the run: Fake ‘Army officer' hiding in Punjab old age home finally caught
On the run for 18 years, a 77-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping people by posing as a colonel in the Army and offering them real estate under a fake Army Welfare Housing Scheme (AWS), the Delhi Police said. The accused, Sitaram Singla, who has an MA in History and Economics from Panjab University, was hiding in an old age home in Patiala since 2007 when he jumped bail. On Saturday, a Crime Branch team received a tip-off about his whereabouts. 'The information revealed that the accused is a resident of Mansa, Punjab. After jumping bail, he is presently living in an old-age home in Patiala, Punjab. The team of ARSC Crime Branch reached the spot and arrested the accused,' DCP (Crime Branch) Apoorva Gupta said. Police said Singla was arrested in 2007 after a complaint was filed at Vivek Vihar police station by a bank employee, Anil Nigam; he claimed Singla duped him of Rs 56,000. 'The accused offered a flat to the complainant, which he said was be built by the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) under a fictitious scheme, and also offered to book a shop under it. He took Rs 56,000 as earnest money and handed over two receipts to the complainant,' DCP Gupta said. Singla was arrested and got bail the same year, police said. But he failed to appear in court and had been on the run ever since, police said. On April 26, 2025, he was declared a proclaimed offender by the Karkardooma court. Born in Sirsa in 1948, Singla came to Delhi in 1987. 'He started working as a contractor in the Indian Army and supplied oil to various cantonment areas all over India. During his work, he gained knowledge about various ranks of Army Officers and learned about the recruitment process,' DCP Gupta said. Armed with insider knowledge, Singla then allegedly started posing as a colonel and duping people on the pretext of getting them discounted real estate and jobs using AWHO. Police said Singla cut off all contact with family to stay under the radar while on the run. He has two sons; his wife passed away a few years ago. 'He was found involved in three cases of cheating and forgery at Shakarpur police station and the Crime Branch,' the DCP said.
NDTV
01-06-2025
- NDTV
Fraudster Posing As Army Colonel Arrested From Old-Age Home In Punjab
New Delhi: A 77-year-old man who had been absconding for over a decade after jumping bail in a cheating case involving the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) was arrested from an old-age home in Punjab's Patiala, the Delhi Police said on Sunday. The accused, Sitaram Gupta, a native of Mansa in Punjab was impersonating as a Colonel in the Indian Army and duped people by offering flats and shops under fictitious AWHO schemes, police in a statement said. "Gupta, a postgraduate in Economics and History from Panjab University and a former student of ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had been evading trial in a 2007 cheating case registered at Vivek Vihar police station in Delhi," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Apoorva Gupta in the statement said. He allegedly took Rs 56,000 from a complainant after offering him a flat and shop under the AWHO scheme and issued forged receipts, the officer said. After his arrest in 2007 and subsequent release on bail, Gupta went underground and failed to appear before court, leading to the issuance of non-bailable warrants. On April 26 this year, the Karkardooma Court declared him a proclaimed offender. He had started his career as a contractor supplying oil to Army cantonments across India, the statement said. During this period, he gained insider knowledge of the Army's functioning, which he later used to impersonate as a senior Army officer and lure unsuspecting people with promises of employment and housing benefits. "He moved to Delhi in 1987 and began posing as a Colonel. He conned several people on the pretext of recruitment in the Army and real estate opportunities through AWHO," the DCP said. A special team was formed which was tasked with tracking Gupta. Based on a tip-off, the team conducted surveillance and zeroed in on the old-age home in Patiala where he was living under a false identity. "He had changed his appearance and cut off ties with his family to stay under the radar. After confirming his identity, he was apprehended from the shelter," the officer added. During interrogation, Gupta admitted to his involvement in multiple cases of cheating, including three other fraud cases registered with the Shakarpur police station and the Crime Branch in Delhi, related to fake Army job offers. Police said Gupta's wife has passed away and he has two children. He had been leading a secluded life to evade arrest, shifting locations and using different mobile numbers
