Unpaid rent to sole resident stalls evacuation of unsafe army towers in Kochi, HC orders govt to provide payment details

Kochi: The critical demolition of the structurally unsafe Chander Kunj Army Towers in Vyttila remains on hold as January 2026 nears its end, stuck in an administrative deadlock over unpaid compensation to one of the project's key whistleblowers.

Colonel Ciby George (Retd.), who was among the first to expose the construction irregularities that rendered the Army Welfare Housing Association’s twin towers uninhabitable, remains the sole occupant of the crumbling complex. While the delay has pushed back demolition timelines, the retired officer maintains he is unable to vacate solely because the authorities have failed to release the full advance rent and relocation charges as directed by the Kerala High Court.

The High Court has now intervened to break the impasse. Hearing a contempt petition filed by George citing “willful non-compliance” by Ernakulam district collector, a Division Bench comprising Justice K Natarajan and Justice Johnson John has directed the state government to produce concrete records of the payment details by January 30. The court seeks proof of whether the full compensation due to the petitioner has actually been transferred.

At the heart of the stalemate is a specific financial discrepancy. Under the court-approved rehabilitation package, residents of Tower C, where George resides, were entitled to six months' advance rent, calculated at ₹35,000 per month, plus a ₹30,000 relocation allowance, totaling approximately ₹2.4 lakh. However, the district administration admitted in court that as of early December 2025, only ₹1.05 lakh, approximately three months' rent, had been deposited into George’s account from the escrow account opened by the collector.

George argues that this partial payment is a violation of the court's verdict and discriminatory, as other residents reportedly received their full dues before vacating. Consequently, he has refused to hand over the keys to Apartment 101 in Tower C until the balance of approximately ₹1.35 lakh is settled, stating he cannot be forced out without the funds necessary to secure alternative housing.

“I am being penalised for speaking out against the AWHO and the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA). While other residents have received the full amount, I am yet to receive it. The RWA has cut off our janitorial services and blocked our guests under the pretext of safety, effectively isolating my wife and me in a building that is falling into disrepair,” George said.

Meanwhile, the RWA too had filed a contempt of court petition against Geroge following his refusal to vacate the premises. The association has formally accused him of obstructing the project timeline. They contend that his occupancy is the primary bottleneck preventing the handover of the twin towers to the Tahsildar for scheduled demolition. 

The situation is fraught with risk. The towers, condemned after studies by IIT Madras and IISc Bengaluru confirmed severe structural defects and corrosion, are deteriorating rapidly.  The danger was highlighted in October 2025 when a large section of the concrete ceiling in the ground-floor lobby of Tower C collapsed. Despite this imminent threat, the administrative delay in releasing funds has effectively trapped the lone family in the unsafe building.

The standoff has already caused the project to miss significant milestones, including the tentative demolition date of November 9, 2025. With the reconstruction estimated to cost over ₹211 crore and the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) having deposited nearly ₹3 crore in an escrow account for rents, the delay threatens to derail the target of handing over new apartments by October 2029.

As the January 30 hearing approaches, the resolution of this safety-critical project now depends on the authorities fulfilling their financial obligations to the resident who first flagged the danger.