Kolkata: Scared of harassment, tenants plan to move out

KOLKATA: The shootout at Shukhobrishti in New Town on Wednesday and the killings of the two gangsters have shaken the residents so much that many of the tenants have decided to move out.
As the gangsters from Punjab, Jaipal Singh Bhullar and Jaspreet Singh Jassi, were found to be staying at the complex as tenants on fake ID papers, questions are being raised about security lapse and lax checking during renting of flats.As a result, many tenants fear harassment at the hands of security agencies, who might want to verify their rent agreements. “Usually, the security agencies turn hyperactive after such an incident. In some cases, even innocent people are not spared. This is why we have decided to shift to some other complex either in New Town or somewhere in the surroundings,” said a tenant at the housing complex, which has around 12,000 flats.
Some said they had already received signals from their landlords that their leave and lease licence might not be extended further. There were others, who did not feel it safe at Shukhobrishti any more, and posted their requirements for flats on social media platforms of the township. “I would like to move out. I have posted my requirements on an online platform and the rent I can afford to pay. I think it will be safer to stay elsewhere,” said a tenant at Shukhobrishti.
Members of the housing society, however, assured that tenants did not need to feel scared. “We have no problems with tenants or vendors. The agency responsible for the maintenance of the complex and for looking into the rent process is not performing its duty judiciously. Any tenant with a legally drawn agreement has every right to stay here till his/her lease expires,” said a senior office-bearer of the Shukhobrishti housing society.
New Town has turned into a favoured destination for students, techies and other professionals to rent accommodations as most offices are located in the township and the nearby Sector V. The high demand has given rise to a brokers’ nexus that sometimes bend safety rules to arrange for homes for their clients.
A citizens’ forum has approached the local police and the administration to implement more safety measures in the township so that residents do not feel vulnerable. They have requested the authorities to verify the background of the tenants and check the rent agreements.