Kerala: Third Maradu Flats Complex Razed Down For Violating Coastal Regulation Zone Norms; One Last To Go

Like Saturday (11 January), when two unauthorised flat complexes were razed down, on Sunday, the first of the two flat complex - Jain Coral Cove, at the press of a trigger at 11.01am was turned into a cloud of dust in a matter of seconds.

The second round of implosion is scheduled at 2pm, when the Golden Kayaloram flats comprising around 66 flats, will be brought down.

Ahead of the blast, early on Sunday morning all the residents in the vicinity of 200 metres from the neighbourhood were evacuated by the police.

At 10.30am on Sunday, the first siren came signalling that the 18 floor Jain Coral Cove comprising 125 apartments is all set for being blown away.

At 10.55am came the second siren and at 11.00am came the third and a minute later in around six seconds all what remained was a pile of debris around three stories tall.

Like Saturday, a huge crowd of curious onlookers was spotted in and around the area and the police left nothing to chance as they chased away onlookers who wanted to break the police cordon.

According to preliminary information, like Saturday everything went according to plan and no major damages were reported, even as authorities were doing rounds of the neighbourhood to check if any unexpected damages took place.

Fire tenders immediately reached the site and sprayed water to reduce the spreading of dust particles.

This has happened, four months after the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of four multi-storey illegal apartment complexes at Maradu, comprising 356 flats in four buildings that housed 240 families.

After all the occupants moved out, authorities removed all the windows and other things from the building and all that remained was a skeleton structure.

The apex court had on 6 September ordered its demolition by 20 September for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone rules, but Kerala government dilly dallied it.

It was only after the court went hammer and tongs against Chief Secretary Tom Jose, did the Kerala government finally decide that there was no other way out but to get ready for the demolition.

After various rounds of discussions, the date was finalised and through an open tender process, the demolition was handed over to companies who have done similar operations in the past.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)