Thiruvananthapuram corporation seeks AAI's NOC for residential complex

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation has requested permission from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to build a residential complex aimed at rehabilitating the families of Vikalanga colony at Muttathara and providing housing to beneficiaries listed under the LIFE Mission.

As the two-acre plot falls within the airport's ‘red zone’, where there are limitations on construction activities due to its close proximity to aircraft landing, the civic body had to approach the AAI for a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

The Uralungal Labour Construction Co-operative Society (ULCCS) has been awarded the contract for the Rs 20 crore housing project. However, the contractor can only commence works on the two-storey apartment complex after receiving clearance from the AAI. It is anticipated that the NOC will be obtained within a month.

Shajida Nazar, development standing committee chairperson of corporation and Vallakadavu ward councillor, said that the corporation and the ULCCS are awaiting the NOC from the AAI to proceed with the construction. “Once we get the approval, the construction will begin, and it is expected to be completed within 18 months. Not only the residents of Vikalanga colony, but the beneficiaries of the LIFE mission scheme will also be accommodated in the facility. There will be 136 apartments in the two-storey building, so 136 families can reside there. A total of 102 families are from Vikalanga colony. So, the remaining residents will be LIFE mission beneficiaries,” she said.

The proposal outlines that each apartment in the new complex will have an area of 550 square feet. The development is planned on a two-acre plot initially marked for the rehabilitation of the fishermen community, who had to leave their homes due to sea erosion. However, the state govt has now allocated a different piece of land at Muttathara for the fishermen under the ‘Punargeham’ project.

This initiative is set to take place in the Vikalanaga colony, which was established 48 years ago by disabled individuals who formed a community there. The local corporation had requested the transfer of 1.5 acres of land at Muttathara, which was previously intended for a sewage farm that is currently under construction.

Another apartment complex that is coming at Muttathara is designed to provide housing for 102 fishermen families. These families are presently residing in a godown in Valiyathura. The primary goal of the project is to improve the living standards of the fishermen and provide them with a safe and stable environment. The complex will feature a total of 400 flats, with each flat including a hall, a kitchen, and two bedrooms.

The govt's initiative aims to address the housing needs of the fishermen community by offering them a better quality of life. The project not only focuses on providing shelter, but also on enhancing the overall living conditions of the community members. With the construction of the new apartment complex, the fishermen families will have the opportunity to live in a more comfortable and dignified setting.