Kochi: The Kerala government is on course to demolish four apartments complexes illegally constructed at Maradu in Kerala's Ernakulam district following a Supreme Court order with the private firms assigned the task beginning the work on Saturday morning.
Vijaya Steels and Explosives, one of the two firms short-listed for razing down the four residential complexes, has started to remove the windows, doors and other movable items from Alfa Serene, one of the four structures to be demolished.
According to Maradu municipality vice-chairman Boban Nedumparambil, the work will continue in the coming days. A team of skilled labourers assigned by Vijaya Steels and Explosives will remove the furniture and other items from the other three complexes – H2O Holy Faith, Golden Kayaloram and Jains Coral Cove – by next week.
Out of the four tenders received by the Kerala government, Vijaya Steels and Explosives of Chennai and Edifice Engineering from Mumbai were picked recently to raze the structures.
The technical committee had recommended these two companies for the demolition job. However, the Maradu municipal council that met recently did not approve the decision. The civic body was of the view that the state government can go ahead on its own in this matter.
The buildings must be demolished by January 9 as per the deadline set by the Supreme Court.
The two companies have started their preliminary works.
Two towers of Alfa Serene will be demolished by Vijay Steels, while Holy Faith, Jain Coral Cove and Golden Kayaloram will be razed by Edifice Engineering.
Procedures to conclude an agreement with these companies are progressing. Once bank guarantee, third-party insurance and other formalities are completed, an official agreement with these companies will be signed.
It would take two months to clear the debris after the demolition by controlled explosion. The four multi-storeyed apartment buildings have 343 flats. The properties cover an area of 68,028.71 square metre.
The Supreme Court has to be apprised of the progress in the demolition work by October 25.
Removal of buildings' primary vertical supports, including internal walls, is one of the pre-demolition crucial works. The walls on all floors will be removed. On the floors where explosives will be used, the external walls will also be removed.
The apex court had ordered the demolition of the ats that were built by violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
The court had passed the order after taking note of a report of a three member committee, which said, when the buildings were built, the area was already notified as a CRZ and construction was prohibited.
Chennai offices searched
The crime branch special team that is probing violation of CRZ norms at Maradu carried out searches at the Chennai headquarters of Jain Constructions on Friday.
The search conducted under inspectors Yesudas and Suraj began at 11 am and continued late into the night. The crime branch search was aimed at finding documents of the to-be-demolished flats during their construction stages, and written communication from panchayat and municipal authorities.
The investigation team has received information that the builders of the flats had bribed local body officials and people's representatives. The team is looking to find evidence to substantiate the bribery charges. The three accused who had been arrested will be taken into custody by the investigating team.
More owners get compensation
The Justice K Balakrishnan Nair panel has approved Rs 10.22 crore as interim compensation to 58 Maradu flat owners. Out of these, only seven will get the maximum compensation of Rs 25 lakh. Others will be getting compensation ranging from Rs 13 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. The panel has directed that 35 flat owners be given Rs 6.31 crore by October 17 and Rs 2.56 crore to 14 flat owners by October 14 as compensation. So far, 107 flat owners have been found eligible to get compensation.
