Kerala Skyscrapers demolished over environmental violations
WATER & WASTE

Kerala Skyscrapers demolished over environmental violations

In a first-of-its-kind decision every made in India, the Supreme Court ordered for four skyscrapers in Kerala’s Kochi city to be demolished between January 11-12, 2020, as these structures were terms illegal owing to the fact that they had been built in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone norms.  

As reported, Section 144 of CrPC was imposed and traffic halted in land, water and air in the evacuation zone around the four illegal waterfront apartment complexes in the Maradu region of Kochi ahead of their demolition.

Ensuring minimal or no damage to the surrounding areas, the demolition has been done through controlled implosion. Reports also indicate that ahead of the demolition, a mock drill was carried out to condition authorities, policemen, fire, ambulance personnel and the agencies for the exercise.

The demolitions included that of Alfa Serene Complex with twin apartment towers in Maradu, H2O Holy Faith apartment tower, Jain Coral Cove and Golden Kayaloram. Just between Alfa Serene Complex and Holy Faith, the complexes housed a total of 343 flats. The court has ordered an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the owners of the flats.

Now, what about the debris? Reports indicate that the debris will be reused for construction. Almost everything of the over 70,000 tonne of debris of the apartment blocks erased through implosion at Maradu will be transported to yards spread over 10.6 acre at Aroor and Chandiroor within 70 days.

The responsibility for degrading the debris and retrieving steel (the reinforcements) for reuse in civil works lies with the demolition contractor. It has been known from reports that the rest of the debris will be cut to size ranging from 6 mm to 20 mm, using rubble master, a concrete-and demolition-downsizing machine, and transported to the yards.

Reports also reveal that the debris of H2O Holy Faith and Jain Coral Cove apartments can be fully reused, since they have been built using hollow bricks. Those of Alpha Serene and Golden Kayaloram can be used for filling basement of buildings. They were built using bricks which may be tough to be downsized to standardised pieces.

Evidently, an outcome of violation of norms! However, the end result rest in the favour of the environment!

In a first-of-its-kind decision every made in India, the Supreme Court ordered for four skyscrapers in Kerala’s Kochi city to be demolished between January 11-12, 2020, as these structures were terms illegal owing to the fact that they had been built in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone norms.   As reported, Section 144 of CrPC was imposed and traffic halted in land, water and air in the evacuation zone around the four illegal waterfront apartment complexes in the Maradu region of Kochi ahead of their demolition.Ensuring minimal or no damage to the surrounding areas, the demolition has been done through controlled implosion. Reports also indicate that ahead of the demolition, a mock drill was carried out to condition authorities, policemen, fire, ambulance personnel and the agencies for the exercise.The demolitions included that of Alfa Serene Complex with twin apartment towers in Maradu, H2O Holy Faith apartment tower, Jain Coral Cove and Golden Kayaloram. Just between Alfa Serene Complex and Holy Faith, the complexes housed a total of 343 flats. The court has ordered an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the owners of the flats.Now, what about the debris? Reports indicate that the debris will be reused for construction. Almost everything of the over 70,000 tonne of debris of the apartment blocks erased through implosion at Maradu will be transported to yards spread over 10.6 acre at Aroor and Chandiroor within 70 days. The responsibility for degrading the debris and retrieving steel (the reinforcements) for reuse in civil works lies with the demolition contractor. It has been known from reports that the rest of the debris will be cut to size ranging from 6 mm to 20 mm, using rubble master, a concrete-and demolition-downsizing machine, and transported to the yards. Reports also reveal that the debris of H2O Holy Faith and Jain Coral Cove apartments can be fully reused, since they have been built using hollow bricks. Those of Alpha Serene and Golden Kayaloram can be used for filling basement of buildings. They were built using bricks which may be tough to be downsized to standardised pieces. Evidently, an outcome of violation of norms! However, the end result rest in the favour of the environment!

Next Story
Real Estate

Indian Real Estate Sector Sees Highest Capital Inflow in Seven Years

Equirus Capital, a leading full-service investment banking firm, has reported that India’s real estate sector has witnessed its highest capital inflow in seven years, with funds raised reaching ₹23,080 crore across 12 deals.According to Equirus Capital’s analysis, the cumulative capital raised by the sector since FY18 stands at ₹72,331 crore. Of this, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) accounted for the largest share at ₹31,241 crore, followed by large-cap real estate companies at ₹20,437 crore, mid-cap players at ₹12,496 crore, and small-cap firms contributing ₹8,156 crore...

Next Story
Real Estate

India’s Flex Office Market Set for Record Growth

myHQ by ANAROCK, India’s largest workspace discovery and flexible office solutions platform, has released its Flex Office Market in India 2025 Report, revealing that India is set to become the Asia-Pacific region’s largest flexible office market. The report highlights how flexible workspaces have become a mainstream component of India’s commercial real estate, capturing a growing share of national leasing activity.“Flexible workspaces have evolved from a cost-optimisation tool to a strategic necessity,” said Utkarsh Kawatra, CEO and Co-Founder, myHQ by ANAROCK. “Average corporate d..

Next Story
Real Estate

India Defies Regional Slowdown; Office Leasing on Track for Record High in 2025

India’s office market continues to outperform the broader Asia-Pacific region, emerging as a key growth driver amid regional headwinds, according to Knight Frank’s Asia-Pacific Office Highlights Q3 2025 report. With 8.8 million sq. ft. transacted in the third quarter alone, leasing momentum remains robust. Full-year volumes across Bengaluru, NCR, and Mumbai are projected to reach 50 million sq. ft., surpassing the previous record of 41 million sq. ft. set in 2024.The surge has been fuelled by sustained leasing from Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and renewed activity from third-party IT s..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?