KALPETTA: The housewarming ceremony for homes built by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) for survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster will be held on April 27.
Though keys of 51 houses in the first phase were handed over on February 28, the families are yet to move in. The collective housewarming has now been planned for all 51 beneficiary families.
The housing project is located at Thrikkaippatta Vellithode near the Muttil-Meppadi state highway in Meppadi panchayat. Each 1,050-sq ft house has three bedrooms and is fully furnished.
T Muhammed, IUML district general secretary and a member of the resettlement sub-committee, said entry to the project area will be restricted. “Only close relatives and invited guests will be allowed to attend the function. We want the families to begin their new lives with dignity and privacy,” he said.
Keys to 51 houses, part of a total 105 units, were handed over by IUML state president Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal but the relocation was delayed because of examinations and the assembly elections.
Muhammed said the decision to hold a common function on April 27 was also influenced by favourable weather conditions. “Conducting the function together will strengthen the sense of community among the families,” he added.
Each house has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining hall, work area and a sit-out. The units also feature a brick-paved courtyard and access through tiled internal roads.
Drinking water and electricity connections have been ensured, with a well and storage tank set up. “The houses have been constructed with provisions to enhance structural safety if required in the future,” Muhammed said.
The surroundings have been landscaped with trees and flowering plants. Work on additional houses under the second phase is progressing. Plans also include a community hall, park, anganwadi and other essential facilities.
The site is accessible from Meppadi, around five kilometres away, and from Muttil town, four kilometres away. The land at Vellithode was acquired considering the preferences and needs of the beneficiaries.