Residents of the P&T apartment towers in Mundamveli are set to lay an indefinite siege to the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) office at Kadavanthra from Tuesday (May 26, 2026), demanding a long-term solution to the leakage of their apartments.
The P&T Apartment Owners Association had given an ultimatum to the GCDA secretary last Tuesday (May 19, 2026), warning of such a protest unless remedial measures were taken to plug the leakage at the earliest. Residents had cautioned that they would be at the gate of the GCDA office immediately after the next shower. As such, the apartments continued to leak during the heavy downpour that lashed the city on Sunday (May 24, 2026).
Residents have been protesting the persistent leakage since 78 families moved into the apartments built by GCDA in January 2024. They have also raised concerns about cracks and an alleged tilt in the buildings, which have largely gone unaddressed.
“We have not fixed any time limit for our protest. We will stay put until the authorities take action,” said Abhilash P. Parameswaran, president of the P&T Apartment Owners Association. He also expressed doubt whether the apartment complex had been built in violation of the mandatory distance limit from the 400 kV high-tension electric line passing through the neighbourhood, endangering the lives of residents, especially during rains.
After much delay, a pilot project was launched in April this year to plug bathroom leaks, as recommended by IIT Madras, which was appointed as consultant to address structural flaws. Two coats of a leak-proof solution were applied to the floor of one apartment bathroom, which was then left flooded for about ten days to test its effectiveness.
Meanwhile, fibre plastering of the exterior of the twin towers, originally planned to plug leakage and estimated to cost ₹28 lakh, has been dropped. IIT Madras rejected the proposal and instead recommended another methodology focusing on joints, using a solution with attributes to prevent water seepage. However, residents opposed its implementation and insisted that IIT Madras representatives convince them in a meeting. Work on a proposed truss, complete with solar panels funded through the local MLA’s development allocation, has also made little progress.
Published – May 25, 2026 08:12 pm IST
