Kochi (Kerala): Several of the residents struggled to shift their household articles from their flats in four illegal apartment complexes as the deadline drew to a close at 5 pm on Thursday, prompting authorities to grant some relaxation.
The Maradu municipal and revenue authorities entrusted with carrying out the eviction of the residents decided not to disconnect the power and water supply lines to the waterfront flats, facing demolition for violation of Coastal Regulation Zone norms, immediately in order to facilitate their smooth relocation.
Officials had said on Wednesday that the power and water supply to the apartment complexes temporarily restored two days ago for facilitating the smooth relocation of the residents, would be disconnected automatically on Thursday.
The authorities on Thursday indicated the time granted for vacating the flats was unlikely to be extended beyond Friday morning.
Flat owners said that the time fixed by the authorities for vacating the houses was insufficient. Many NRIs (Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin), who own flats in the apartment complexes, could not come back from the foreign countries so far.
Their flats were still remained locked and their household articles yet to be shifted, a representative of the flat owners said, as he sought a humanitarian consideration towards them.
"We appeal you to treat us like humans. We are not encroachers," a flat owner said.
"We are not staging any protest here. We are asking some more time from the authorities," he said.