KOCHI: With the deadline to vacate their apartments prior to the controlled implosion getting over on Thursday, Maradu flat residents are in a quandary as the alternative flats offered by the municipality are already occupied.
Although the tenants of most apartments have started shifting since Saturday, the flat owners are yet to finalise their next move.
“Since Monday morning, we have been contacting owners of all apartments suggested by the officials. But we couldn’t obtain any flats from the list. Most of them are either occupied or the owners are not willing to rent them out. We have no clue on what basis the authorities compiled the list,” said Shamsudheen Karunagappally, president, Holy Faith H2O Residents’ Association.
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As per the list prepared by the Maradu municipality, the officials have listed 512 flats in 28 complexes for the vacating residents.
The alternative options are spread across villages of Edappally, Nadama, Maradu, Elamkulam, Poonithura, Vazhakkala, Kakkanad, Thoppumpady and Mattanchery.
New list of apartments
The residents, meanwhile, on Monday met the Fort Kochi Sub-Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who has been given charge of the Maradu municipality secretary, and received an assurance from him that a new list of apartments will be made available on Tuesday.
“We have explained to the sub-collector the irregularities in the list given by the officials. They will be creating a new list by tomorrow (Tuesday) with the help tahsildars of the areas concerned. As the current list of apartments is already occupied, he promised that the residents can visit the apartments of the revised list before taking a final decision. Till we become satisfied with the given facility, none of us will be leaving our apartments,” Karungappally said.
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Sub-Collector Singh: “We are trying to sort out the issue as soon as possible. There was a lack of clarity on the total number of families who require rehabilitation. We will again reach out to the residents to make a consolidated list of individuals who need alternative places,” he said.
Demolition to be safe
Singh also clarified that the entire demolition process will be completed scientifically with minimum effect on the surroundings. “People in the nearby areas are worried about the after-effects of the implosion. But in reality, there is nothing to worry about. The actual demolition comes only after two months of in-depth planning and we will be handling it in a very scientific manner,” said the sub-collector.