Many lease-holders move out, flat owners stay put

Kochi: With the state government and Maradu municipal authorities speeding up procedures to demolish the four Maradu apartments by October 4, most of the lease-holders have vacated the flats while the owners chose to stay put hoping for a last minute miracle.

The development comes even as the authorities gave notice for snapping electricity and water connections to the buildings by Friday.

Vijay Shankar, an owner of a flat in Golden Kayaloram apartment, said, “There are a total of 40 flats in the apartment and most of the owners have leased them out as they are either working or settled abroad. However, except for one family, the lease-holders have vacated. People like me who invested our life savings have nowhere to go,” he said. The flat owners are determined to “fight till the last breath” and not even a single person has moved out. The Maradu Bhavana Samrakshana Samiti has asked the owners abroad to come back to join the protest.

Shankar, a film editor hailing from Chennai, had bought his flat back in 2010 for Rs 44 lakh by availing of a bank loan.

“Using all my savings, I closed the bank loan only a couple of months back. I’ve no savings or alternative accommodation facility and am staring at a bleak future. Hence I’ve no option but to stay here till my last breath,” said Shankar, who is working on a new project directed by Madhu Ambat.

Meanwhile, the flat owners held a meeting on Wednesday to decide the future course of action and decided not to sue the builders for the time being.

“The cops visited us the other day to record our statement against the builders but we refused. Though we’ve demanded compensation from them, we’ll proceed with legal action against the builders only as a last resort,” they said.

“The KSEBL (Kerala State Electricity Board Limited) came with police protection and issued notices to the flat owners informing that the service will be stopped in the next 24 hours,” said Maradu municipality chairperson T.H. Nadeera.