How to File RTI with CPWD or Directorate of Estates — Government Accommodation, Licence Fee and Construction Projects

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the Directorate of Estates (DoE) are two distinct organisations operating under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. CPWD is the premier construction and civil works agency of the Central Government — it plans, designs, constructs, and maintains government buildings, residential colonies, roads, and other infrastructure across India. The Directorate of Estates is a separate body responsible for managing the allotment, administration, and regulation of Central Government residential accommodation (commonly called GPRA — General Pool Residential Accommodation) in Delhi and several other cities.

Both CPWD and the Directorate of Estates are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. Central Government employees seeking information about their accommodation allotment or waiting list position, citizens seeking information about CPWD construction projects and contracts, and employees who have received eviction notices can all use the RTI Act to obtain official, documented answers.

CPWD vs. Directorate of Estates: Which One to RTI

Filing with the correct body is critical — an application addressed to the wrong body will either be transferred (causing delay) or rejected. The table below maps each query type to the correct respondent.

Government Accommodation: Type and Entitlement

Central Government GPRA is classified into six types — Type I (smallest) through Type VI (bungalows) — based on pay level under the 7th Central Pay Commission:

Entitlement is determined by the pay level at the time of application and may change if the employee is promoted to a different level. Employees are placed on a waiting list based on date of application. Out-of-turn allotment is available for:

• Medical priority: for employees or their dependants suffering from specified serious illnesses, certified by a government medical authority
• Disability (Divyangjan) priority: for employees with benchmark disability as defined under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016
• Other categories as notified by the Directorate of Estates from time to time

The specific criteria, eligibility, and documentation for each priority category can be obtained through RTI.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

A. Directorate of Estates Queries (Accommodation, Licence Fee, Eviction)

1. Your current serial number (position) on the waiting list for a specific accommodation type (e.g., Type III) in a specific city, for your pay level
2. The total number of vacancies currently available in a specific accommodation type in a specific city, and the frequency of allotment rounds
3. The complete allotment guidelines and priority rules document currently in force, including all out-of-turn categories, eligibility criteria, and documents required
4. The current licence fee schedule for a specific accommodation type and pay level, including the Office Memorandum number and date of the most recent revision
5. The specific basis and computation for the licence fee charged for a particular quarters number — including which pay level bracket and type classification was applied
6. For a revision in licence fee: the official circular or notification under which the revision was made and whether it applies to all employees at the relevant pay level or only specific categories
7. The grounds and legal provision under which an eviction notice was issued, the period of retention considered unauthorised, and the compliance timeline
8. Whether regularisation or retention beyond the authorised period is permissible under current DoE guidelines for a specific category of employee (e.g., retired employee, transferred employee)

B. CPWD Project and Contract Queries

1. The name and registered address of the contractor awarded a specific construction or maintenance work, and the date of award
2. The tendered amount, the amount in the work order, and the actual amount paid or payable as on the date of the application
3. The scheduled start date, scheduled completion date, and the current stage of work as reported in the CPWD project monitoring system
4. Whether a time extension has been granted for a specific project — if yes, the reason cited by the contractor and the revised completion date approved
5. Quality inspection reports and material test certificates (cement, reinforcement steel, bricks, etc.) for a specific construction project, if available on record
6. The names and designations of the CPWD engineers (Executive Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer) responsible for supervision of a specific project
7. The tender documents (Notice Inviting Tender, work specifications, bill of quantities) for a specific work, to the extent not exempted under Section 8 of the RTI Act

Where to File

Both CPWD and the Directorate of Estates are accessible through the Central RTI portal. Follow these steps:

1. Visit rtionline.gov.in and click Submit Request
2. Select the ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
3. Select the public authority:
   • For accommodation / waiting list / licence fee / eviction: choose Directorate of Estates
   • For construction / tender / maintenance projects: choose Central Public Works Department
4. Draft your application with your full name, address, employee / applicant details, and specific questions — use precise references (accommodation type, city, project name, work order number) wherever possible
5. Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are fully exempt from the fee and should state their BPL card details in the application
6. Submit and note your registration number for tracking

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If the CPIO does not respond within 30 days, provides an incomplete response, or denies information, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at CPWD or the Directorate of Estates, as applicable. The First Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the FAA's response period. Both CPWD and the Directorate of Estates are Central Government bodies under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs — second appeal in all cases goes to the CIC, not any State Information Commission.

The CIC can direct disclosure of information, award compensation, and impose a penalty of up to ₹25,000 on the CPIO under Section 20 of the RTI Act if information was withheld without reasonable cause or the CPIO failed to respond within the prescribed period.