The local authorities on the orders of the Supreme Court were in the process of demolishing the Kapico Resort in Kerala’s Alappuzha district on September 15, for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms. It’s important to mention that the demolition was ordered by the Supreme Court in 2020 but could not be implemented due to the COVID-19 disruption. The construction of the resort commenced in 2007 and was completed in 2012.
The demolition will be done at the cost of the resort owners, said the Alappuzha Dist Collector VR Krishna Teja. “Building owners are bearing cost of demolition. As per records, 2.9396 hectares of land encroached by resort owners, and government acquired the land a week before. All 54 villas are going to be demolished. Public fund won’t be used for it.
Resort pegged at ₹200 Crore
The ultra-luxury seven-star resort and villa project on a small island in Vembanad lake in the Alappuzha district is estimated to be ₹ 200 Crore. According to the authorities, quoted by PTI, instructions have been given to make sure the environment and the water bodies in the periphery of the resort are not harmed or contaminated.
No explosives will be used for the demolition, which is expected to result in debris being spread out across 36,000 sq feet. The project covers about seven hectares of land which falls under the Panavally village panchayat. The resort promoted by Muthoot and Kuwait-based Kapico groups includes 54 posh villas.
Notably, upholding the verdict of the Kerala HC, the Supreme court in 2020 ordered the demolition of the premium resort built in violation of the CRZ norms.