Thiruvananthapuram: Amidst a recent flood that rocked Bengaluru, the local municipal corporation there had razed down many structures that stood on stormwater drains there. Even a portion of the house belonging Pathankot terrorist attack martyr Lt Col. E.K. Niranjan is lined up for demolition this week. However, officials in Thiruvananthapuram did not even explore the possibility of demolishing hotelier Biju Ramesh Rajadhani’s building when the High Court allowed them to do so in April, this year.
The case is now pending before the Supreme Court and the building still stands atop a vital conduit that drains water out of the city. The order in favour of officials came in April first week and Mr Ramesh was given a window to go to the higher court a second time. Earlier, a two day eviction notice was issued on May 8, 2015 to Mr Biju Ramesh who filed a writ petition before the High Court making use of window. This was when other buildings were demolished within hours on weekends.
As per the claims of DDMA under district collector Biju Prabhakar, the building that once housed an iconic bar sits on a seven cent encroached land. Underneath is a 75-year-old arched conduit which was in danger. As per settlement registers, the land was termed as ‘Kandu Krishi Vaka Thannathu’. Mr Biju Ramesh’s counsel contest that it is Pandaram vaka land was given to his mother Indira Ramesh by erstwhile Travancore Royal family member Rama Varma.
