Chander Kunj Army Apartments in Vyttila, Kochi.
A sub-committee headed by the Divisional Officer of Fort Kochi Revenue has been constituted to hold weekly meetings to review the implementation of the decision and ensure compliance with the demolition and reconstruction of Chander Kunj Army Apartments.
The decision was taken on Wednesday at a meeting of the District Collectorate Committee, which was formed at the behest of the Kerala High Court to oversee the demolition and reconstruction. It was the first meeting since last October and the sub-committee was formed with the Collector’s busy schedule in mind. The collection committee will meet monthly from now on.
The first meeting of the sub-committee comprising representatives of Chander Kunj Army Towers Apartment Owners Association (CATAOA), Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) and Public Works Department will be held on February 18. At the meeting, among other things, the documentation for the publication of the request for a proposal for the appointment of a project management consultant and a demolition contractor will be finalized. It is also assumed that a new schedule for demolition, reconstruction and handing over of new apartments will be drawn up, as the original schedule was completely disrupted. It will probably also involve the appointment of a project director and the establishment of a project office.
In a meeting on Wednesday, the Collector directed the AWHO to distribute the second installment of advance rent among the 152 flat owners for the next six months as the first installment will expire this month. In addition, AWHO must pay both tranches to 47 apartment owners who have been approved by CATAOA as eligible for rent but who have not yet received the first installment. The Collector expressed strong dissatisfaction with the alleged lack of cooperation on the part of AWHO. It is widely believed that AWHO’s initial reluctance to pay the landlord Ciba George’s advance rent, and her subsequent decision to limit payment to three months instead of six, prompted him to file suit against the Contempt Collector.
CATAOA accused AWHO of misleading the Supreme Court, where it filed a special leave petition against the Kerala High Court verdict, claiming that it was not part of the Collector’s committee, even though the apex court ordered it to coordinate with the committee. The owners also insisted that AWHO must be represented by a decision-making official, preferably its executive director, rather than a junior official, as had been the case so far.
Published – 11 Feb 2026 19:56 IST