For more than three decades, Safiya longed for a safe home. She had spent many years in a one-room ramshackle dwelling adjacent to the Kalvathy-Rameshwaram Canal in Fort Kochi.
“My husband, three children, and I moved to the twin-room house in 2007. Our happiness was short-lived, as the building was in ruins within a few years. Uncertainty started haunting us again,” says Safiya.
Notably, most of the houses in the earlier corporation complexes — built in 2002 and 2007 — are in poor condition, with structural issues, right from the foundation.
Today, however, Safiya heaves a sigh of relief. “Now, finally, I am happy that I am moving to a stable house with all basic facilities,” she beams.
And she is not alone. Safiya’s family, along with 67 others in Kalvathy, is now looking forward to shifting to a newly built housing complex comprising two towers in Thuruthy that will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday.
Sainuba Beevi, another Kalvathy resident, shares the sense of relief. “The corporation had collected our details under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) scheme around a decade ago. We have been filing forms and visiting officials since then,” she says.
“We were told there was a delay in construction due to a funding crisis. We are elated that the construction has been completed. We are waiting for the flats to be handed over."
Residents recall their long struggle to be included in the scheme. “When we came to know about the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) scheme, back in 2012-2013, we met ministers and the mayor to include families living here and allocate funds. It took over 10 years for our dream to materialise,” says Harris P I, a daily wager in Fort Kochi.
The Thuruthy twin-tower project was first announced in 2012. Construction began in 2017, with the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) later joining the corporation to complete it. Officials say 394 landless and homeless families will be relocated here.
“Our first visit after taking oath was to Thuruthy. We promised to provide the families with safe homes,” says Mayor M Anilkumar. “Notably, the twin towers are located at a prime location, surrounded by tourist spots, religious places, and offices.”
The first tower, with 11 floors, has 199 units measuring 300sq.ft each. Every unit includes a living or dining area, bedroom, kitchen and balcony. The second tower has 195 similar units across 13 floors.
“We have also included common courtyards, space for shops, parking, and other facilities like open areas, and lifts,” says a CSML official.
T K Ashraf, the corporation’s health standing committee chairman and councillor of the division, says completion of the project is the result of “many years of hard work”. “The project was approved in 2013. We surveyed 1,065 families and shortlisted 755,” he notes.
“We also decided to include 68 families in Koncheri in the project. There were space limitations — we did not have enough land. Thus, we decided to build a multi-floor complex. Once the paperwork is completed, 394 homeless families will have a secure home."
When hopes fell flat
In January last year, eighty-three families in Kochi’s P&T Colony were excited about relocating to a new housing complex at Mundamveli. They, however, were in for a rude shock.
Since moving in, the 77 families now residing in the flats have reported multiple issues — including leakages, rusting iron frames, and structural safety concerns.
In December last year, the Kerala High Court criticised the dismal condition of the buildings and pulled up the authorities for failing to properly oversee construction.
“There are persistent leaks in the bathrooms and roofs, and the overall structural stability is poor,” says Abhilash P Parameswaran, president of the P&T Apartments Association. “We shifted in January 2024. Within months, cracks started appearing on the walls.”
He also highlights the absence of a lift facility, which was included in the initial detailed project report. “Residents living on the upper floors are facing issues. Many elderly people rarely come down or interact with others because of the difficulty in climbing stairs,” he adds.
The complex was constructed on a 70-cent plot owned by GCDA at Mundamveli in Rameshwaram village, with funding from Cochin Smart Mission Ltd and the state government. It consists of 85 units for 82 families.
Construction was started in October 2020 by Thrissur District Labour Contract Cooperative Society. The work was completed at a cost of `14.51 crore and the flats were handed over to 77 residents of P&T Colony in January 2024. Issues cropped up the very next month.
The seepage affected kitchens and bedrooms of apartments below, which was further exacerbated by leaking overhead water tanks and an overflowing septic tank, which has to be cleared every month.
Following repeated complaints, IIT Madras was engaged earlier this year for a detailed study on the long-term structural stability of the building. “Their team has already inspected the site and collected samples. We have assured residents that necessary maintenance and repair will be carried out,” says a GCDA official.
“The corporation has begun roofing work at the apartment complex. We haven’t received the report of the study. We are yet to receive the final IIT report. However, they have given some initial recommendations. Thus, we have started the roofing work. The area around the building will also be cleaned and maintained according to the plan.”
Notably, the complex still does not have a compound wall. Only now work has been initiated.
Another concern of residents is over documentation. “We have not yet received legal ownership or transfer documents. This leaves us without proper legal protection or clear property rights,” says Abhilash.
“We have been requesting the state government to take necessary steps to register and transfer ownership in the names of the residents, in line with the basic provisions of the Life Mission project. We have written to the chief minister regarding this.”