After demolition, Kerala may witness high-rises at same spots again

Within days after five high-rises in Kochi were reduced to rubble, the owners of the demolished flats have geared up to raise apartments at the same spot.

With the Kerala Government already stating that the ownership of the lands are still with the flat owners, the owners have started seeking technical opinion on constructing multi-storey apartment at the same spot.

Binoj C, one of the flat owners, told DH that they already spoke to experts, including those of Edifice Engineering who demolished the structures, and got opinion that it was technically feasible to construct high-rise at the same spot. Almost all the apartment owners wish to reconstruct high-rises at the same spots by strictly adhering to norms, he said.

He also said that technical experts opined that the basements and ground floors would not have suffered much damaged in the implosion as the impact of the implosion was collected on the first and second floors in order to minimise the impact on the ground so as to avoid damage to nearby structures. Hence even the existing piling and basement could be used to raise a fresh stricture. Even if the basements were damaged, a fresh structure would be set up by clearing the existing pilings, he said.

Meanwhile, sources at the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation said that the basements would also suffered serious structural damages in the implosion and hence it would be impossible to raise a new multi-storey using the existing basement.

In what could be considered as a green flag for the apartment owners to go ahead, Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose had stated the other day that the apartment owners still have undivided ownership over the land.

However, chairpersons of the local municipal corporation (Maradu), T Nadeera, said that a formal decision of the government was yet to come on the ownership of the land and whether high-rises would be allowed again at the same spot.

Sources said that though the flat owners were already paid initial compensation of Rs. 25 lakh each and were eligible for further compensation, that amount had to be recovered from the builder. Hence the government could not claim ownership over the land.

Among the four apartments demolished, Jain's Coral Cave was situated in about 170 cents of land, twin towers of Alfa Serene in around 110 cents, H20 Holy Faith in around one acre and Golden Kayaloram in around 50 cents.