Kochi: GCDA begins eviction drive at Gandhinagar

KOCHI: In a bid to crack down on illegal extensions in its building and commercial establishments, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) started an eviction drive on Wednesday.
As the initial step, unauthorized extensions at the front portion of a supermarket at Gandhinagar have been evicted and demolished. Also, four other shops situated adjacent to the shopping market have been issued eviction notices and given a day’s time to remove the extensions.
According to officials, the Will Mart supermarket that functions in the GCDA building at Gandhinagar Junction extended the front and side portion using false ceilings and glass panels after extending the basement without permission from authorities.Even though GCDA issued a notice to the shopowners in December last year, they moved Ernakulam munsiff court seeking stay which has not been availed till date.
“The shop has been using the illegal extension despite notices from GCDA. Earlier they requested one month’s time for removing the extensions. But even after the deadline, they refused to remove it. GCDA has received the court order to demolish it and we are executing it,” said GCDA assistant engineer Divya Vijayan.
Police personnel from Kadavanthara police station were present at the shop throughout the demolition after a heated exchange of words took place between the officials and shopowners. “We extended the shop after receiving permission from GCDA 10 years ago and there was no problem over these years. The matter is under court’s consideration and the hearing has been postponed to next month. GCDA started the eviction without giving us a chance to shift our goods,” said shopowner V K Sabeer.
GCDA estate officer C K Shyamala said the authority was on a drive to identify similar illegal extensions of its buildings and demolish them. “Directives have been given to officials who are in charge of various establishments owned by GCDA to submit a report on unauthorized extensions,” she said.