KOCHI: Almost all flat owners have vacated the four apartment complexes slated for demolition at Maradu, but around 150 of them face an uncertainty over getting the compensation amount of Rs 25 lakh ordered by the Supreme Court. The reason: They don’t have valid documents to prove their ownership.
Fort Kochi sub-collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who is supervising the demolition process, said 150 flat owners out of 326 do not have the valid documents to prove their ownership and may not get the Rs 25 lakh initial compensation from the state government.
Now, it’s up to the Justice K Balakrishnan Nair committee appointed by the apex court to take a decision in their case.
During the assessment, it was also found that the flat owners did not change the ownership from the builders, even after the registration process. As per the revenue records, the ownership still remains with the builders in many cases. Most of them, however, possess title deeds and other documents, said a source.
“We have already brought the issue before the Justice K Balakrishnan Nair committee appointed by the SC to decide the actual amount of compensation. It is up to the committee to decide whether they are eligible for the compensation or not,” said Singh.
“We are in the process of collecting the title deeds and it will be completed in a couple of days. We will get a final list of flat owners who are eligible for compensation after that,” said Singh.
Sale deed plays a crucial role in deciding the compensation, said a source in the Revenue Department. “The sale deed document is a valid proof of ownership of the immovable property with all relevant information about the buyer. It is drafted on a non-judicial stamp paper of value as set by the state government in which the property transaction is taking place. However, the flat owners have reduced the amount in sale deeds to get a concession on stamp duty. Most of them registered the flat by reducing the actual cost of purchase. This will also prove a headache for the flat owners when it comes to getting the compensation,” said the source.
Dist admin to take over flats by October 11
“At present, no one is staying inside the flats. We have given them time to shift their belongings. Within a few days, the logistics part will be over. The power and water supply to the flats will be disconnected after the completion of the shifting procedure. Most probably, the district administration will take over the flats on October 11,” said Singh.