CAG raps Northern Railways over poor land management, pending transfer of land to CRPF

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, December 24

The Northern Railways did not raise bills for the land leasing charges for a large chunk of its land under possession of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for about 16 years, resulting in a loss of Rs 4.88 crore. Further, the transfer of the said land to the CRPF was later approved in 2018, but execution of the deed is still pending.

Attributing the lapse to poor land management by the Railways, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its latest report tabled this week, revealed that the railway administration was not even aware of possession of railway land by the CRPF until May 2010 when the force had approached the Railways for sale of land to them.

“This is indicative of poor land management at Northern Railways. Even after more than 11 years since noticing the land under possession of the CRPF, the Railways could not recover the leasing charges for the said land from the government/CRPF,” the CAG said.

In May 2010, the CRPF had approached the Ferozepur Divisional Railway authorities for purchase of railway land measuring 11.3 sq km at Jammu Tawi station which was under their possession since 1989-90.

In June 2010, Railway authorities stated that sale of land is not covered under the policy and land can only be given on long-term lease basis for 35 years at 99 percent of present market value of land as per the Railway Board’s policy.

Railway authorities issued notices to the CRPF in January 2011, February 2011 and March 2011 for vacating the land as it was occupied unauthorisedly. However, the land was not vacated by the CRPF.

In August 2016, the CRPF informed the Divisional Railway Authorities that due to paucity of funds and official constraints in their organisation, the matter could not be progressed and sought the current policy of leasing railway land and the amount of lease charges to be paid.

In January 2017, the CRPF, however, refused to pay the amount stating that the land was provided to them by the Jammu and Kashmir state government in 1989 and no lease deed was finalised between the CRPF and Railways.

Railway authorities requested the CRPF to provide the relevant records for allotment of land by the state government to them and also to deposit the land leasing charges of Rs 4.88 crore from 1988-89 to 2015-16.

In June 2018, the CRPF asked the chairman, Railway Board, to realise the outstanding charges from the Jammu and Kashmir state government as the responsibility for providing accommodation to CRPF units deployed in the state rested with the state government.

The CRPF also requested to transfer the land as it was administratively and operationally strategic for residential purposes. The Chairman, after reviewing the matter, directed the General Manager, Northern Railways, to provide the land to the CRPF on lease for 35 years and enter into an agreement without any further delay. Finally, in July 2018, the Railways allotted the land to CRPF on lease for 35 years after receiving a payment of Rs 11.83 crore.

Despite the specific instructions of the Chairman, a formal agreement with the CRPF for the land leased for 35 years, as per policy in vogue, has still not been executed, the CAG observed. The earlier arrears of Rs 4.88 are also pending.