As the deadline given by Kerala government to the residents of the four apartments in Kochi ended by Thursday, only around 180 of the 343 flats in five high-rises vacated.
While a section of flat owners maintained that they would move out only if the government provided alternative residences, many flat owners sought at least a week time to shift citing logistic issues in shifting furniture and household items from the high-rises that are more than 15 storeys.
Ernakulam (Kochi) district collector S Suhas, who visited the flats, said that the flat owners would be given some more time to vacate the premises. He also said that power supply and water connection to the flats would not be disconnected all on a sudden. The flat owners were cooperating with the implementation of the SC order.
On Thursday many flat owners were frantically shifting furniture and home appliances as government officials indicated that the time limit given to vacate would not be extended. .
Flat owners' action council leader advocate Shamsuddin said that the government authorities were threatening to disconnect power and water supply even as they could not provide alternative residences. Many residents were running helter-skelter in search of residences. Though the government gave a list of 510 flats in Kochi city, most of the flats were not vacant.
