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Many Mumbai University faculty unwilling to vacate official houses post retirement

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People seem to have the wrong notion that only politicians (central and state ministers), bureaucrats, police officers, etc have a penchant for holding on to government accommodation they are allotted while in office. The teaching fraternity is no different! At least that's what has become clear if one were to go by the plight of Mumbai University (MU), which is facing a similar problem now. Due to non availability of vacant flats, the university is unable to allot flats to many of its officials, including teaching staff.

Many of its professors who have retired or have been transferred out from MU, are yet to vacate their flats. Many serving professors who have not been allotted flats due to shortage are staying on rent, paying large amounts and commuting from distance places. Most professors prefer to stay in MU campus as that is not only prestigious but also saves them time.

Many such professors have now approached MU general administration requesting them to look into the matter at the earliest.

Sources told dna that MU administration had sent notices to retired personnel asking them to vacate their houses, but that they are reluctant to do so.

As per MU rules, any employee who retires or is transferred has to vacate his/her house within three months. If a particular case is genuine, as a special case, they can stay put for six more months. And in case someone is overstaying, s/he can be charged rent as per the prevailing market rate.

However, MU administration has been taking a very lenient view in all such cases, creating scarcity of houses for professors and other employees.

MU campus at Kalina in Santacruz (E) has many flats. These flats are highly sought after as the entire campus has green cover and is peaceful. Moreover, it's centrally located and has easy access to Western Railway (Santacruz) Central Railway (Kurla).

A senior registrar in MU, on the condition of anonymity, said: "MU administration has no control over their errant officials and is least bothered about the difficulties professors and other employees face. It has adequate powers and there are rules in place to get such houses vacated, but it's not doing anything about it. As per rules, MU can stop the post retirement benefits of retired/transferred staff who don't vacate houses."

Dr MA Khan, registrar, MU, said: "There are many professors who have retired, have been transferred, or are on deputation, but who still retain their houses. We are in the process of recovering these houses on a priority basis so that we can allot them to those deserving as per MU rules."

He added: "No (working) professor or employee should be deprived of their legal/fundamental rights as per MU rules. We are trying to recover these houses. If someone does not fall in line despite repeated notices, we will have to take harsh decisions. We will send them legal notices and then lodge an FIR, forcing them to vacate the flats."

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