Three weeks after Darbar Move, lower-rung cops await accommodation

SRINAGAR: Almost three weeks after Civil Secretariat, the seat of the government, opened in winter capital, the lower-rung policemen who shifted even before with the 'Darbar Move' are yet to be allotted proper accommodation here by the Home department, the voice of discontentment becoming louder within the cadre as allege to have been left 'almost stranded' to find space in Jammu.
Every year, thousands of employees from civil and police departments shift to Jammu biannually as part of the Darbar Move and are provided accommodation for six-months by Estates and Police departments, respectively.
However, the police officials falling in the non-gazetted and constabulary range complain that they have not been allotted accommodation yet by the department, and are left to put up at acquaintances' place while some have rued of House Rent Allowance paid by government to be too low to find a decent accommodation.
"We have submitted application for the accommodation with the headquarters but we are yet to get the allotment," a non-gazetted police official told The News Now.
"We are staying temporarily with friends and relatives in crammed spaces. You can say, we are stranded in Jammu," the official said, but did not want to be identified.
Another official said that even the experienced non-gazetted cops of the rank of sub inspectors are allotted single room in hotels which are shabby for living.
The official said that cops in the rank of constables, selection grade constables, head constables, and sub inspectors have no accommodation.
"We are wandering from one friend to another every evening after office work. This is embarrassing for us," a constable rank policeman told The News Now.
"The allotment of the quarters is not as per criteria," the policemen said.
As per official pay rules, the Sub-Inspectors are paid Rs 3200 as House Rent Allowance per month during the Move, while constables are paid mere Rs 2500 for six months duration.
"In Jammu, one gets a single room for Rs 4500 and the constabulary cops get HRA of Rs 2500 in a move office. We cannot live in a hotel for two days on this amount," a constable, who is presently looking for space in Jammu, said.
Officials in the department said that the police have a limited number of residential quarters (around 18) for non-gazetted policemen, and they are allotted as per raffle draw.
They suggested that the accommodation should be given as per tenure in a move office and rank-wise. They said that 447 policemen posted with political dignitaries, police officers and offices have been provided accommodation of single room or two rooms, while those working in offices are yet to be given.
Also there is a great discrepancy between the two capitals of the state, against the shift to Jammu.
For Srinagar shift, the applications are invited for accommodation three months ago, while for Jammu shift the personnel have to apply after they move to Jammu, thus making things difficult for the cops.
"We don't face accommodation issues in Srinagar as they are plenty of hotels for the department to hire. In Jammu, we face problems as fewer hotels are available. Also, we have to figure out safe hotels as well," the officials said.
When contacted by The News Now, V K Singh, Special DGP (Headquarters) said that the police has to hire limited number of rooms as per government's prescribed rates and capacity, which puts limitation in accommodation.
"The number of rooms authorised by government to be hired as per prescribed rate and capacity in Jammu is 234. Out of which 212 are hired and 402 persons are putting up. So, we have a scope to hire 22 more rooms. There is pendency and claimants can come and get the rooms," Singh told The News Now.
The DGP said that limitation is correct that either quality of rooms is not up to our standard in the prescribed rate.
"Normally, we have to hire certain number of rooms as per the prescribed capacity and government rates. In Jammu, the number of rooms available is less," he said.