KOCHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed to maintain status quo for six weeks with respect to its May 8th judgment to demolish five apartment complexes in Maradu, near Kochi, giving temporary relief to the builders and nearly 350 flat owners.
Hearing a writ petition filed by a group of residents, a vacation bench of the Supreme Court listed the matter for hearing in the first week of July.
A bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha had passed the order on May 8th to demolish five apartment complexes --- Holy Faith, Kayaloram, Alfa Ventures, Holiday Heritage and Jain Housing --- within one month for violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.
The one-month deadline expired as the builders and the residents had approached the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order.
Maradu municipal chairperson T H Nadeera told TNIE that the municipality will now wait for the Supreme Court's final order to decide on the future course of action. "We will abide by what the Court tells us. We were waiting for the directions from the state government (on the demolition of the apartment complexes," she said.