THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following stiff protest from tourism stakeholders and concerns over procedural lapses in the recent demolition drive, the district administration has granted a 10-day buffer period before proceeding with any further action by Varkala municipality against unauthorised structures on the Varkala cliff.
The decision was taken after a meeting convened by the district administration to discuss the controversy surrounding the demolition of tourism-related establishments and buildings located within 20 metres of the cliff edge in Varkala.
The stakeholders alleged that the demolition process was initiated without adequate prior notice to several affected owners. They claimed many property owners were unaware of the proposed action and were not given sufficient opportunity to present their case before demolition proceedings began.
Tension escalated during Thursday’s demolition drive when an affected individual allegedly attempted self-harm by pouring inflammable substances over himself in protest. The demolition was subsequently halted following the intervention of Varkala MLA V Joy.
The representatives of the Varkala Tourism Development Association (VTDA) said that the issue had remained unresolved for the past three to five years despite repeated representations to the authorities. They urged the officials to undertake a detailed verification of documents and consider individual cases before initiating any further action.
The ADM, who chaired the discussions, granted a 10-day cooling-off period to facilitate detailed consultations among stakeholders and officials. Further meetings are expected during this period to examine the matter and explore possible solutions. Varkala municipal secretary G Mithran said that the demolition drive has been halted for 10 days and further action will be initiated based on the decision by the district collector.
“All structures falling within 20 metres from the cliff edge will be removed. The district administration has asked the property owners and the municipality to reach a consensus in this regard within 10 days. After that district collector will order further action,” said G Mithran.
Meanwhile, the VTDA submitted a detailed representation to the district administration seeking regularisation of eligible unauthorised structures. Among the key demands raised by the association are regularisation of eligible long-standing structures after verification, consideration of tax payment and licensing history, uniform treatment of similarly placed establishments and suspension of demolition proceedings until the regularisation process is completed.
“The structures facing demolition are not recent constructions but establishments that have existed for over two decades. Several tourism businesses began as small sheds in the 1990s and gradually evolved into cafes, restaurants, resorts, shops and handicraft outlets that now form a key part of Varkala’s tourism,” said Sanjay Sahadevan, advisor to VTDA.
