The Chottanikkara housing project has moved closer to reconstruction after Minister Anoop Jacob said special permission had been sought to rebuild flats that were declared unfit for habitation, enabling the rehabilitation of 24 families currently living in rented homes.
Jacob said he had written to Mons Joseph, the minister in charge of the Kerala State Housing Board, seeking the special approval required to implement the reconstruction plan. Once permission is granted, the process of rebuilding the flats and rehabilitating the displaced beneficiaries can begin, according to the minister.
The minister also said that the Planning Board had again been asked to allocate Rs 2.27 crore for the appropriate reconstruction of the flats in the 2027-28 financial year. In addition, the Chottanikkara grama panchayat has assured that it will provide the extra amount required for implementing the project from its own funds.
The decisions followed a high-level meeting held at the Assembly Secretariat the previous day on the reconstruction of the flats built under the Safalyam housing project. The meeting was held in the chamber of the Minister for Food under Jacob’s chairmanship, and it decided to take steps to obtain the special permission needed for the project.
The Safalyam flats were built as part of a Kerala State Housing Board-led programme for homeless people from economically weaker sections. The Chottanikkara panchayat had acquired 33.9 acres of land for the project and transferred Rs 54 lakh to the Housing Board. Construction was completed in 2016, and the flats were handed over to 24 families.
However, serious construction defects later led to large cracks in the walls, while sunshades also collapsed. The building was subsequently found to be in an unsafe condition. An expert inspection determined that the flats were unfit for habitation, following which the panchayat evacuated all 24 families. The beneficiaries then moved temporarily into rented houses.
The proposed reconstruction is therefore tied not only to replacing a damaged building but also to restoring housing for families who were originally provided homes through a public housing programme. The immediate administrative steps are the grant of special permission and the consideration of the requested allocation for the 2027-28 financial year. The panchayat’s proposed contribution is intended to cover the additional cost of implementing the reconstruction.
