Thiruvananthapuram corporation to begin 4th phase of Karimadom construction

Thiruvananthapuram: The city corporation is about to start the fourth phase of Karimadom redevelopment, but some of its third phase beneficiaries are yet to let the corporation raze down their houses. In fact, these houses could have stalled the construction forever had the corporation not found an alternative space for the last building in the third phase. But the owners of these houses feel that their demands need to be heard. Case in point: Jasmine Ismail, whose father paid money to a Karimadom resident and 'bought' the house in 2006 unaware of the fact that the ownership here cannot be transferred.

Now, Jasmine and the one who 'sold' them the house are both in the beneficiary list. Jasmine finds this unfair. "She has already sold her house and owns a house elsewhere. If she is added, it is only fair to add my sister to the list. They don't have a house of their own," she says. She raises allegations of corruption. "How did the person who sold us figure in the beneficiary list? There are people here who have ten children and they have got ten houses," she says. She says councillor Simi Jyothish and former Mayor K. Chandrika had assured them that her sister would get a house here. But the promise is yet to be translated into a document.

The resistance of these houses - initially there were more than 10 - had delayed the construction for long. Now the number of rebels has dwindled to 5. Monsoon will be the harshest for these five, according to an official at Costford. For, six buildings of the third phase have been built around these houses. Since the plinth level has been raised, the houses would be in a depression, and waterlogging is likely to happen. The dissenters, however, are not ready to let go.