representative image Kochi: Even 10 months after residents of the city’s P&T Colony were shifted to a newly constructed apartment complex Greater Cochin Development Authority ,GCDA) In Mundamveli, the authority has failed to take steps to resolve the structural damage of the apartments.
Residents began protesting against the GCDA after leaks were reported in the building months ago, but the authority is unable to carry out major repair work as the state government’s technical committee has not yet approved the repair works. Earlier, GCDA had announced that they would carry out the repairs after the rains.
The project was completed in September 2023, and 77 beneficiaries of the Life Mission Housing Scheme were shifted to the flats on January 31. However, leakage was reported in the flats during the summer rains in May. Subsequently, GCDA officials inspected the site and carried out some waterproofing work. But the issue remained unresolved and residents intensified protests last week demanding a permanent solution to the problem.
A GCDA source said the authority needs clearance from a special technical committee to resolve the leakage issue as it costs around Rs 25 lakh, and it has already approached the government for clearance. The State Level Technical Committee conducted a visit based on the detailed proposal submitted by GCDA regarding the repair works to be carried out in the building.
“We will issue tenders for other minor repair works like leakage in bathrooms and rain water infiltration in open areas,” he said.
Earlier, the GCDA had clarified that the reason for the damage to the building, which was constructed by the Thrissur District Labor Contact Society, was due to design flaws. Preliminary level inspection conducted by technical experts of GCDA had already found that the damage has occurred due to infiltration of water through cracks due to thermal expansion of the concrete structure.
