Kochi: The builders of the controversial waterfront apartments in Maradu municipality have misled the apartment buyers by remaining silent on the conditional nature of the occupancy certificate given by Maradu municipality for the buildings. A section of the flat owners are now trying to file cases against builders stating that they have willfully concealed the relevant information from them.
The municipality had issued the occupancy certificate with the condition that the buildings could be demolished subject to any adverse verdicts from the courts.
The civic body issued the occupancy certificate with UA numbers, signifying that such structures are subjected demolition and the civic body will not be liable for any pecuniary damages in case of such a development. The apartment complexes of Jain and Alpha Ventures were given the occupancy certificates with the UA numbers.
The promoters of the apartment complexes of Golden Kayaloram and Holy Faith were also given the occupancy certificate with conditions. The Maradu municipality has issued stop memo to builders in 2010 and the later approached the high court questioning the action of the civic body. A single bench of the high court then gave an interim order to go ahead with the construction and the builders went ahead with the projects.
Although several apartment owners now say that builders never informed them about the legal issues connected with the buildings they cannot be fully absolved from the responsibility as they have failed in making due diligence of the property in which they were making such huge investments. The apartment owners are cut up with builders as the later have washed their hands-off from the whole issue by stating that they don’t have any responsibility after selling the flats.
