Resident owners of at least five apartment complexes in Kochi are staring at the threat of being driven out of their homes in 30 days after the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the demolition of multi-storey buildings for violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms .
Shibu George, a resident of Jain Apartment near Maradu, is all worried. The court order directing the authorities concerned to raze the building has come as a rude shock to him. Though he had been engaged in a legal battle with the builder, who, he believes, had cheated him by selling an apartment built in violation of the rules, he never expected a court verdict that would eventually leave him homeless.
“The builder cheated us and withdrew all support system, including security service and support staff. We had been in talks with them to solve the issue,” said Mr. George.
The demolition of the building also leaves the owners with the prospect of huge financial liabilities.
A large number of owners said they had purchased the apartments after raising loans from financial institutions. The base price of the water-frontage apartments started at ₹1 crore. Besides, huge amounts were spent on furnishing them.
C.E. George, joint secretary of the residents association of the Holy Faith apartments near Kundannoor Junction, said the voice of the residents never reached the Supreme Court, which considered the case.
The residents, who were innocent buyers, were not heard in the case. They had invested their hard-earned money in these apartments, said Mr. George, who brought the property a decade ago.
He has a few celebrities, including filmmakers and actors, as neighbours in the complex, which overlooks the river. More than 70% of owners in the 90-apartment unit are abroad.
S. Jayakumar, a non-resident Keralite, who came to Kochi the other day, is one among them. He had purchased an apartment in the complex seven years ago spending a significant amount. His family members who live in Muscat broke the news as he returned to the flat after paying service bills.
“We need to explore legal measures to save our homes including filing of a review petition,” he said.
Residents are now busy organising among themselves and networking with others to jointly explore ways to protect their homes and investments.
