The district committee in Ernakulam, led by the District Collector, has officially initiated the process to demolish the structurally compromised twin towers of the Chander Kunj Apartments in Vyttila, Kochi. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is set to be issued imminently, seeking qualified bids for a project management consultant (PMC) and an agency specialized in demolition. Apartment owners are strongly advocating for the appointment of an international PMC, emphasizing the need for a firm with a robust track record of successfully executing multiple projects valued at over ₹300 crore.
An initial evaluation by a team of experts in March indicated that the entire undertaking, encompassing planning, preparation, demolition, and debris removal, is projected to take approximately nine to ten months. This significant step follows a Kerala High Court order issued in February, which mandated the demolition and subsequent reconstruction of Towers B and C of the Chander Kunj Army Towers, developed by the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO), due to critical structural deficiencies.
All but one of the 208 affected apartment owners in these two towers have already vacated their residences. This was facilitated by AWHO, which, as per the Kerala High Court’s directive, credited six months’ advance rent into an escrow account. This amounted to a total of ₹2.97 crore, with B tower owners receiving ₹30,000 per month and C tower owners ₹35,000 per month. This payment resolved the owners’ prior refusal to vacate without financial provision, which had disrupted the initial August 31 evacuation deadline.
The district committee has set tentative deadlines for the project, with the demolition of the twin towers expected by November 9, 2025, and the handover of the newly constructed apartments scheduled for October 31, 2029. Steps are anticipated to commence shortly for the official transfer of the twin towers’ possession to the Kanayannur tahsildar. Additionally, AWHO has been tasked with submitting all necessary applications to the relevant government departments to secure the required approvals for the new construction phase.
In a move to ensure independent oversight, the Chander Kunj Army Towers Apartment Owners Association (CATAOA) has proposed to appoint its own technical consultant, likely a structural and geotechnical expert, to closely monitor both the demolition and reconstruction processes. This proposal is expected to be presented to the district committee for consideration in the near future.