The Supreme Court on Friday accepted a “detailed plan” made by the Kerala government for the demolition of the high-rise apartments in Maradu near Kochi and granted it the 138 days timeframe that the state had sought to complete the process of demolition.  The apex court also directed payment of Rs 25 lakh as interim compensation by the State government to each flat owner within four weeks. Consequently, the top court also ordered setting up of a one-member committee of retired high court judge to oversee demolition and assess total compensation.

A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat directed freezing of assets of builders and promoters who were involved in the construction of illegal buildings in the coastal zone areas of Kochi.

The Bench further said the government may consider recovering the interim compensation amount from builders and promoters.

According to the action plan, the government has sought 138 days time to finish the task of demolition. The government said that the process would begin on September 29 with the evacuation of the residents which would take four days. The actual demolition of the flats would be from October 11 to January 9 and the next one month will be on cleaning up the debris.

—India Legal Bureau