Last Onam at Chander Kunj Army Tower: Inmates in tears

KOCHI: "The Indian Army is a branch of the armed forces that swears to obey the orders of the country even at the risk of their lives. They have received a notice to evacuate," said retired Captain Paul Erincheri. "There is no place to go. My wife and I have decided to stay here," says retired Captain Paul, a resident of the Chander Kunj apartment that has been proposed for demolition.

This is an Onam that will not be remembered by a 'battalion' of soldiers who fought for the country. The happy times of gathering, games, tug-of-war and feasting have faded. The deadline given by the district administration to those in the complex known as Army Tower to vacate will end today. The skeleton of the dilapidated Chander Kunj is located in Vyttila Silver Sand Island. The B and C towers of the building are in a weak state due to structural defects. These will be demolished by the end of the year. The concrete of the building, which was handed over by the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) in 2018, began to crumble within two years. Dream homes bought at a cost of Rs 65-75 lakhs are rotting away. Only less than fifty families remain here. Most of them are senior citizens. As a result of legal battles, it was decided to reconstruct the towers at the same place and hand them over to the owners. However, it will take at least four years. A place to stay must be found until then. The rent has been settled in the High Court as part of the compensation package. The order states that the amount should be deposited in an account designated by the District Collector before September 3. A.W.H.O. is preparing to appeal against this. The residents are worried about where they will move to as they have not received the first instalment yet. Although they are sure that they will get a new home later, their worries remain.

Army Towers ..... Floors .... Apartments

A............................. 14 ............ 52

B ............................ 29 ........... 104

C ............................ 29 ........... 104

''After the housing loan is paid, the only amount that will be left in the pension is money to buy food. How will we find a rented house with that money?

- Captain Paul Erincheri