Dear members - join in to protest together the hike in costs and time-overrun

Dear Members of Air Force Naval Housing Board, Rajarhat project;

This post is an attempt on war-footing to get more voices to present our case to the authority. This is in reference to the latest shock that we received (UPDATE ON KOLKATTA PHASE III AFNHB PROJECT) which now forces the poor members to pay almost double the amount for the same flat that was promised to us by 2006-7.


This blog is on-behalf of a poor member who has retired from armed forces, and now finds this unjustified hike totally unbearable. That member happens to be a retired service-men now, and other than shelling out money from his pension on house rent, he has been asked to pay some amount which is beyong his imagination and affordability. And it's for sure many members face a similar plight. Attempts have been made to highlight the problems faced by members due to poor accoutability of AFNHB. e-mails have been sent to (1) AFNHB, (2) The Chief of Staffs of both Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, and (3) also finally to the Honorable Union Cabinet Minister for Defence, Mr. A K Antony. We expect AFNHB to be accoutable and responsible rather than an organization which runs on 'profiteering' motives by sucking the bloods of defence-personnels.

The salient points raised are:

1. What's AFNHB obligations and contractual responsibility? It can't be only asking members to pay more and wait indefinitely, which's been the case till date.

2. On what account is the latest hike in prices undertaken? It can be (1) either on land prices or (2) on costs of construction or even both. However your communication states the possibility to be more in line with (2) than one. However the sort of hike suggested by you can't be explained by clause 2 alone again? Who is the auditor of AFNHB, and if need be, can AFNHB share its costs/proposed costs transparently with the members?

3. Does AFNHB come under (1) Consumer Laws (2) Other Civilian Laws? If not, what recourse does an individual have who feels that things, as it stands now based on various communications received may not be at the interest of the members; and there can even be questions on the overall transparency of the project.

4. Has AFNHB taken any action against those who have failed to execute this project within stipulated time and costs? If not, why? Does it not mean that you have no accoutability, and poor subscribers are forced to suffer and pay for your inefficiency (or otherwise as it may be)? And we poor members are forced to pay house-rents.

5. What future gurantee and accoutability does AFNHB provide that after another few months, they don't ask for another hike in prices? The whole affair, as it's been managed now, clearly shows that this organization, in the name of AFNHB is actually blackmailing the poor subscribers who believes your initial promise (we understand there may be fine prints in the contractual terms that AFNHB may think would safeguard them and get away with these unilateral explotations, however as individuals we all have a right to challenge those terms in the court of the land, if need be).

As responsible citizens, we expect answers to few of our questions, if not all. In case no response is received before 30th April by which you have asked your so called members to unquestionably accept your terms, this e-mail can be taken as an official document asking for clarity and transparency in the project that demands more information with accountability that would help members decide their actions.

If no information is forthcoming, the matter may be taken up with higher ups in order to ensure future servicemen don't become a pawn in the hands of the organization that's supposed to take care of their welfare means, but effectively does the exact opposite. We need to join in for that, and that too fast.

Please join in by posting your comments, membership to the project or by mailing me. We don't want to be in the receiving end which replicates gross violation of all justice. As fighters, we know how to fight in battleground, and how to fight inefficieny, lack of transparency and possibilities of corruptions away from the battle-fields as well.

Best regards, and we surely have the Rajarhat project completed as soon as possible and that too at as close to the original promised costs as possible.


On behalf of an ex-service man of Indian Air Force, and member of AFNHB Rajarhat Project