Kerala Housing Board to Reconstruct Defective Chottanikkara Flats with Rs 2.27 Crore Investment
In a significant development, the Kerala State Housing Board (KSHB) has announced plans to reconstruct a residential flat built under the Saphalyam housing scheme in Chottanikkara. The project, estimated to cost Rs 2.27 crore, comes after the original structure became uninhabitable due to severe structural problems that emerged within just four years of its construction.
Structural Failures and Legal Intervention
The three-storeyed flat, designed to house 24 families, was constructed using gypsum panels during the 2015-2020 UDF local body tenure. Investigations revealed that multiple agencies, including KSHB and the local body, failed to adequately monitor the construction process. As structural defects began to surface, the last governing council was forced to file a petition in the high court against the board. Consequently, all families were relocated to rented accommodations, with the local body covering rental costs at Rs 5000 per month per family.
High Court Directives and Reconstruction Plan
Following the high court's direction, the principal secretary of KSHB convened a meeting and decided that the board would undertake the reconstruction of the flat on the existing 33 cents of land. Raju Mattathil, the panchayat president, confirmed that KSHB will prepare a detailed plan for the new building. "Construction will commence after demolishing the existing structure," he stated. "A KSHB engineer recently inspected the site. The new building will be constructed with concrete to ensure structural strength. We also plan to build additional flats for homeless families on this land."
Root Causes of the Structural Collapse
The now-defunct building was found to have been constructed without proper structural elements. Instead of using a concrete mixture and iron poles, gypsum panels were merely placed and filled with soil. This flawed construction method proved disastrous during the rainy season when the soil became wet, significantly weakening the structure and posing a serious threat to residents' lives.
KSHB officials and panchayat authorities have conducted thorough examinations of the flat before initiating reconstruction steps. This case highlights critical lapses in construction oversight and underscores the importance of robust building standards in public housing projects.
