Chander Kunj Army Towers: Last resident out, demolition clock starts ticking

Kochi: With all residents having vacated the premises, apartment owners of Towers B and C at Chander Kunj Army Towers on Silversand Island in Vyttila are hoping that a key meeting scheduled for Wednesday will finalize the procedures for demolition. It has been over a year since the high court ordered the demolition and reconstruction of the dilapidated towers. However, several key decisions required to proceed with the demolition are yet to be taken. Residents say the first meeting of a newly constituted sub-committee, which will oversee the project, is expected to decide on floating tenders for appointing a project management consultant as well as a demolition contractor. Following the evacuation of residents, the next step is for authorities to formally take over the buildings and hand them over for demolition. "We are hoping that a decision on floating tenders and awarding the contract for demolition will be taken at Wednesday's meeting," said Saji Thomas, the residents' representative on the committee overseeing the project.The committee, constituted by the district collector to supervise the project, met last Wednesday after a gap of over three months since its previous meeting in Oct. During the meeting, it was decided to appoint a sub-committee under the Fort Kochi RDO to coordinate further action. The sub-committee includes representatives from the Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO), the residents' association and PWD, and will discuss the next steps in the project."All those who attended the meeting before the collector were informed about the upcoming meeting. We are planning to conduct meetings every two weeks; however, a final decision will be taken in the coming days," said a source in the district administration. Retired Army officer Colonel Ciby George, who was the first resident to approach the court seeking relief, was the last to vacate the building. He had continued to stay there, demanding payment of pending rental compensation. "I moved out on Feb 12 and rented a house in Girinagar, Kadavanthra. Initially, I was paid rent for three months, while the rent for the remaining three months was pending. The total rent for six months was paid to me in the first week of Feb. I am also entitled to Rs 30,000 as relocation expenses as per the HC order, which I am yet to receive," said George. The collector's meeting last Wednesday also directed AWHO to begin distributing rental compensation for another six months, as the initial six-month instalment provided to residents who vacated earlier will soon expire. The collector has instructed that payments be made to 47 apartment owners who were endorsed by the residents' association as eligible for rental support.George said he hopes that the demolition and awarding of the reconstruction contract will take place this year, even as he expressed concern that the upcoming assembly elections could delay the process further. "There is a possibility of further delay. Tender floating and appointing a company takes time. Elections can tie up bureaucratic processes and affect progress," he said.