Kochi Mundamveli GCDA-LIFE Mission flats unsafe, amicus curiae tells Kerala HC

Residents of the GCDA-LIFE Mission apartment complex in Kochi’s Mundamveli should be urgently moved to safe and habitable accommodation, a court-appointed amicus curiae has told the Kerala High Court. The report flagged sewage leaks, water seepage, corrosion, and other safety concerns at the complex built under the LIFE Mission housing scheme to rehabilitate residents of the P&T Colony in the city. 

According to a report by The New Indian Express, the amicus curiae found rainwater entering flats through structural joints and wastewater from bathrooms and kitchens on upper floors leaking into apartments below. Water stains and white deposits were found in bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms, while prolonged dampness had caused steel structures and duct sheets to corrode.

The report also flagged an overflowing septic tank and concerns about the adequacy of the sewage treatment plant, warning that the unhygienic conditions could pose serious health risks. It noted that the building lacked the required safety clearance from a nearby high-tension power line and that the absence of a lift caused difficulties for residents who were seriously ill.

The amicus curiae recommended that the court appoint a committee, assisted by approved experts, to assess the building’s structural stability and determine whether it could be used in the future.

The report adds to mounting concerns over the complex, which was built by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) at a cost of Rs 14.62 crore to rehabilitate families from the flood-prone P&T Colony. Residents moved into the apartments in January 2024 but began reporting leaks and construction defects soon afterwards.

The state government is considering a special rehabilitation package for the affected families, Local Self-Governments Minister KM Shaji told the Assembly on October 16. Responding to a calling attention motion by MLA Mohammed Shiyas, he said the government would also pursue an investigation into construction defects and alleged corruption.

Shaji said the government had ordered a Vigilance investigation and initiated a preliminary inquiry into alleged irregularities. He added that the Thrissur District Labour Contract Cooperative Society, which carried out the construction, had been terminated after failing to undertake repairs despite repeated instructions. However, he said no subsequent investigation had been conducted into losses allegedly caused by the contractor’s negligence.

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also registered a case over the conditions faced by children living in the complex. Acting on a complaint by residents’ association president Abhilash P Parameswaran, the commission issued notices to the Local Self-Government Department, LIFE Mission, the district collector, GCDA and Kochi Corporation. The matter is scheduled to be heard on November 30.

Around 65 schoolchildren live in the apartments, where residents say wastewater from toilets on upper floors leaks into homes below. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission had previously ordered a probe after reports that leaking dirty water had repeatedly soaked children’s uniforms and study materials, affecting their school attendance.

Residents have been staging an indefinite protest demanding rehabilitation and title deeds. They have also sought accountability for alleged construction lapses and financial irregularities in a project intended to provide safe housing to families displaced from a flood-prone settlement.