A beloved Kudumbashree hotel in Kochi, which has been serving the community for a quarter-century, faces the grim possibility of shutting down this Saturday, October 25, 2025. This impending closure comes after the Kochi City Corporation’s non-tax department issued a notice regarding alleged unpaid rent.
The notice, dated September 9, 2025, from the Corporation’s Joint Secretary, states that the New Akshaya hotel, located within the Ponnurunni Shopping Complex, owes a substantial ₹1.38 lakh in rent, which includes penal interest. This amount was calculated at ₹8 per square foot for the 1,069-sq-ft space, covering the period from October 2022 to May 2023. Officials from the Corporation’s Vyttila zone have explicitly informed the Kudumbashree members managing the hotel that operations will cease on Saturday if these dues are not settled.
What began with 10 Kudumbashree members has grown into a collective effort by 12 members from five local neighbourhood groups. This hotel holds a special designation as a ‘Janakeeya Hotel’ under the State government’s ‘Hunger-Free Kerala’ project, launched in the 2020-21 financial year. This initiative aims to provide affordable meals, offering lunch for just ₹25, and under its provisions, the local body is supposed to cover the hotel’s rent, electricity, and water charges.
Omana Ratnakaran, secretary of the Kudumbashree unit, explained their predicament: ‘We initially paid utility charges for almost three years even after being recognized as a Janakeeya Hotel. However, when government subsidies ceased, we struggled to meet these expenses and sought assistance from the Corporation. It was then that we were assured, as a Janakeeya Hotel, we weren’t required to pay rent.’ Following this understanding, they stopped paying utility bills.
Dispute Over Status and Dues Persists
Despite this, a few months ago, the hotel received an initial demand for approximately ₹1.48 lakh in rent. In response, the Kudumbashree unit presented a certificate from the Kudumbashree District Mission, Ernakulam, dated July 2, confirming its Janakeeya Hotel status. They submitted this to the Corporation, believing the issue would be resolved favorably by the council. However, to their dismay, they received yet another notice last month, reiterating the demand for rent arrears.
Ponnurunni councillor C.D. Bindu countered, asserting that the hotel no longer qualifies as a Janakeeya Hotel and that the Kudumbashree unit has consistently ignored multiple reminders for rent payment. She urged them to ‘at least clear a portion of the dues and submit a fresh application detailing their situation.’ Regarding the Kudumbashree Mission’s certification, Ms. Bindu stated she would look into its validity.
Sources within the Corporation’s non-tax department clarified that the notices were issued primarily to avoid audit discrepancies. An official commented, ‘They have been requested to provide official documentation verifying the hotel’s Janakeeya status, as our revenue wing lacks such records. The welfare standing committee is, however, reviewing their case with a sympathetic view.’