After more than two years of arduous living marred by persistent leakage in their apartments, residents of P&T Apartment Complex at Mundamveli on Tuesday (May 26) laid a day-long siege to the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) headquarters at Kadavanthra here, raising fresh concerns over the alleged violation of mandatory distance norms separating the 110 kV extra high tension (EHT) line passing through their neighbourhood from the twin towers.

A group of nearly 80 residents, including women and children, staged the protest outside the GCDA office, shouting slogans against endangering their lives and properties by constructing apartments allegedly in disregard of provisions governing EHT electric lines. Over 400 people from 78 families of the erstwhile P&T Colony in the city had moved into the twin towers built by the GCDA in January 2024. The protest was eventually called off after Kochi MLA Mohammed Shiyas visited them and promised to petition Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, demanding a Vigilance probe into the alleged corruption behind the construction of the apartments.

The residents had long raised the issue of leakage until the Kerala State Electricity Board’s Alappuzha transmission division reportedly confirmed their suspicions about violation of the distance limit from the EHT line. “As per the inspection report, the vertical clearance of the towers from the EHT line was 2.50 metres against the required 2.90 metres. In fact, there should be an additional clearance of one more metre, factoring in potential line swing under windy conditions.

We have been persistently facing electrical problems since moving in, about which we complained to the GCDA, which did nothing. The corruption behind this blatant violation has put our lives and properties on the line,” said Abhilash P. Parameswaran, president of P&T Apartment Owners Association.

However, GCDA sources maintained that the apartments were constructed after securing all relevant permissions from the Electrical Inspectorate, and that the GCDA could do little about the fresh allegation concerning the EHT line. They added that remedial measures to plug leakage were being delayed due to resistance from residents, who demanded a 25-year guarantee for rectification works.

Mr. Shiyas said the apartments should be examined to ensure their fitness for habitation, in which case measures should be taken in a time-bound manner for plugging the leakage and providing other facilities like a septic tank and a sewage treatment plant.

“In case the structures are found unfit, steps would be taken for their proper rehabilitation, he said.

Meanwhile, the residents are planning to move out of the apartments, citing safety concerns during the monsoon. They expressed apprehension about spending further money on renovation works before allaying their fears over the fitness of the apartments.