Demolition of a leaning building in Kochi may take 7-10 days due to safety reasons

The demolition of the two-storey structure, which remains leaning precariously against a neighboring multi-storey commercial building near Woodland Junction along MG Road, has been postponed.

The decision followed the advice of a structural stability expert hired by the Kochi Corporation, who warned that proceeding without precautions could endanger not only the surrounding buildings but also the workers tasked with the demolition.

According to corporation records, the 60-year-old house tilted after a hydraulic jack lifting it gave way on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) evening. On Thursday (July 9, 2026), the Corporation issued an ultimatum to the owner to demolish the building at his own expense by Friday (July 10, 2026). If the requirements are not met, the company warned that it will carry out the demolition itself and return the costs. A team led by Mayor VK Minimol inspected the site on Thursday after a 24-hour summons delivered on Wednesday (July 8, 2026) to demolish the building was not complied with.

“After the strengthening work is completed, the building will be dismantled from above piece by piece, according to the expert’s instructions. The process can take seven to 10 days. There is almost no gap between the tilted structure and the one on which it rests. The strengthening began on Friday and the demolition, starting with the removal of the roof sheets, will begin M2.01.2006 on Saturday, he said.

Due to the limitations of deploying heavy machinery, much of the work will depend on manual labor. The contractor and workers hired by the owner will perform the task at the owner’s expense. “If the owner breaks his commitment, the company will fine the building and ban any future construction on the site. Our technical team will monitor the entire operation,” Ms. Minimol added.

Published – 10 July 2026 20:50 IST