Group home: HC notice to Chandigarh admn on plea challenging ₹20-L security deposit
Apr 10, 2025 10:18 AM IST
The HC bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari has sought response from the Chandigarh administration by April 22 and the case has been ordered to be clubbed with a PIL already pending adjudication before the court
The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has sought response from Chandigarh administration on a plea moved by some residents challenging condition of ₹20 lakh security amount for admission in the group home facility for persons with mental illness and intellectual disability at Sector-31.
₹20 lakh as security is unreasonable, unjustified and arbitrary. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)” title=”The plea has been filed by four Chandigarh residents alleging that the condition of demanding ₹20 lakh as security is unreasonable, unjustified and arbitrary. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)” />The HC bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari has sought response from the administration by April 22 and the case has been ordered to be clubbed with a public interest litigation (PIL) already pending adjudication before the court.
The plea has been filed by four residents of the city alleging that the condition of demanding ₹20 lakh as security is unreasonable, unjustified and arbitrary and demanded that administration be asked to reduce it to an amount equivalent to one year fee as per room type to be charged from an applicant.
The plea also seeks directions that 25% of the twin sharing seats be reserved for economic weaker section applicants having family annual income of ₹1.5 lakh to ₹8 lakh. It also demands that EWS applicants be given concession on security deposit and monthly fee.
Further it prays that UT be directed to make the group home operational at the earliest which is lying locked since July 2024 as the deserving and needy candidates are desperately waiting for the admission. “ ..the petitioners are in urgent and dire need of the group home facility for their mentally disabled wards. The petitioners have approached the respondents through various representations. However, no action has been taken to alleviate the concerns of the petitioners,” it said.
The construction of the facility was completed last year but it is yet to be opened by the administration. The UT had invited applications for the admission from February 17 with last date as March 10 but it now stands extended till April 10. Built at a cost of over ₹35 crore, the facility includes accommodation for 90 residents, courtyards, landscaped gardens and a therapeutic campus for residents dealing with mental health challenges.
The social welfare department has set monthly charges of ₹16,000 for twin sharing room, ₹25,000 for single and ₹35,000 for a suite room. In addition to monthly fee, electricity, vocational classes and cross subsidy charges will be added and yearly fee would increase by 5%. During admission, one time security fund of ₹20 lakhs will need to be deposited.
